Modern Political Ideologies

Liberalism
Conservatism
Marxism
Islam
Fascism
Nationalism
Ideology
Greek, eidos—knowledge, logos—word.
De Tracy [d. 1836]: “ideology was a study
of the process of forming ideas.”
Sargent: “an ideology is a value system
accepted as fact or truth by some group.
It is composed of set of attitudes toward
the various institutions, and processes of
society.”
Characteristics of Ideology
1. Its label ends in ism.
2. It provides an explanation for
contemporary problems and provides a
vision of the future.
3. It is action-oriented.
4. It aims at mobilizing a huge number of
people without which the change it
desires cannot materialize.
Ideologies, not Ideas.
1. Ideologies are comprehensive. Ideas
about great matters, e.g. society’s
highest goals.
2. Ideologies are pervasive. Exist for a long
time and shape political beliefs and
actions.
3. Ideologies are extensive. Directed
toward the masses.
4. Ideologies are intensive. They command
strong commitment.
Intellectual Components of
Ideology
1. Values. Mental preferences.
2. Vision of the ideal polity.
3. Conception of the human nature. Good,
bad?
4. Strategy of action. Comprehensive plan
on how to change a polity into an ideal
one.
5. Political tactics. Detailed modes of action
to achieve the basic strategy.
Functions of Ideologies
1. Ideology addresses basic human
psychological needs [safety,
freedom,].
2. Ideology provides a sense of
understanding history and societies,
and provides clues about the kinds of
things to be paid attention to or
ignored.
Functions of Ideologies
3. Ideology is essential. It is a yardstick,
a reference point.
4. Ideology is powerful. Ideologies have
provided the inspiration to bring some
governments into power and throw
others out of power.
Classical Liberalism
Liberalism. Latin liber, meaning free.
Thomas Jefferson: “that government is
best that governs least.”
John Locke’s social contract is associated
with liberalism.
Adam Smith: liberal economy.
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills also
provided political endorsement.
Classical Liberalism
Central tenets:
1. Individual freedom.
2. Rationality.
3. Progress.
4. Limited government.
5. Economic freedom. Free enterprise.
Private property. Competition. Market
economy.
Modern Liberalism
ML questioned economic freedoms of laissez-
faire capitalism that produced a large
underclass of the terribly poor.
ML emphasized “positive liberalism.” Govt.
should act positively to protect people against
economic and other difficulties so that they can
be free to enjoy their liberty.
Bringing the govt. back in to protect people
from sometimes unfair economic system.
Classical Conservatism
Edmund Burke helped discover the
“irrational” in human behavior.
Other ideologues: Thomas Hobbes,
David Hume.
Conservatism means conserving
society’s traditional values and
institutions against radical changes.
Classical Conservatism
Principles:
1. Irrational impulses.
2. Order and stability.
3. Gradual change.
4. Common sense and pragmatism. Rely
on experience. Practical action rather
than theory.
5. Necessity of government.
Modern Conservatism
Milton Friedman, Frederich von Hayek.
Free market is the best economic system,
govt. is needed to regulate private
business minimally or not at all.
On social and cultural issues, MC is still
concerned with tradition, esp. religion.
MC=a blend of Smith’s economics and
Burke’s conservatism.
Marxism /
Scientific Socialism
Marxism: a theory of human
development that aims at explaining
all history on the basis of economic
laws of determinism.
1. Historical materialism. Explaining
history in terms of material or
economic foundations of society.
2. Surplus value. Profit.
Marxism /
Scientific Socialism
3. Class struggle. Bourgeoisie vs.
Proletariat.
4. Revolution. Socialist revolution to
overthrow capitalist government.
5. Classless society. Ends. The abolition
of distinct classes will make
government unnecessary.
Social Democracy
Edward Bernstein [d. 1932]. Working class
could accomplish its aims without a
revolution.
1. Economic determinism is flawed.
2. Advancing capitalism.
3. Evolutionary socialism.
4. Pragmatism.
Social democrats also advocate welfare
measures.
Communism /
Marxism-Leninism
Lenin [1870-1924].
1. Revolution in a backward country. [theory of
Imperialism].
2. Communist Party.Democratic centralism.
3. Dictatorship of the Proletariat. >Marx.
4. Transition to Communism. In moving from
socialism to communism, it was necessary to
“construct” socialism, i.e., to pursue national
development.
Chinese Communism / Maoism
In the 1930s, Mao concluded that the
CCP had to be based on poor peasants
and guerilla warfare.
Mao came to power in 1949 after
decades of fighting.
Radical course to industrialize China at
the minimum possible time and at the
fastest speed.
Islam as an Ideology
Is Islam an ideology?
No! 1. Ideologies are man-made, while
Islam is divine; 2. Ideologies are transient
while Islam is permanent and universal.
Yes! Though Islam is divine, it has certain
characteristics that are similar to
ideologies. Islam is not an ideology but it
may be treated as an ideology.
Islam as an Ideology
Some major characteristics of Islam as an
ideology.
1. Simplicity, rationalism, practicality.
Simple=no myths. Rational=no
superstitions. Practical=not mere profession
of faiths.
2. Unity of matter and spirit. Live piously, but
not to renounce the world.
3. A complete way of life. Complete for all
fields of human existence.
Islam as an Ideology
4. Balance between the individual and
society. Man does not have to lose
individuality for the society or state.
5. Universality and humanism.
Message for all, not only Muslims.
6. Fair economic system. Wealth
should not only circulate among the
rich. Zakat.
Environmentalism
Since late 1960s. The “green”
movements. Its mission
1. Conserve nature and ecological
processes.
2. Ensure sustainable use of renewable
natural resources.
3. Promote actions to reduce pollution and
conserve energy and resources.
4. Stop and reverse degradation of the
environment.
Fascism
20th-century phenomenon. Mussolini
[Italy], Franco [Spain], Salazar
[Portugal], Hitler [Germany]. Features:
1. Totalitarianism.
2. Excessive nationalism.
3. Antiliberalism.
4. Militarism and violence.
5. Leadership.
Nationalism and Ummah