Free Political Ideologies Essay Examples & Topics

A political ideology essay can be a struggle to write. It is especially the case if you are not a big fan of politics. So, let’s begin with the basic terms. You will definitely need them to complete such an assignment.

First and foremost, ideology is a set of collectively held ideas and beliefs. They explain a particular pattern of political, social, or economic relationships, agreements, etc.

Political ideology is a collection of ideas and political views on a social movement, class, or group of people. Nowadays, citizens of the USA usually relate themselves to either liberal, progressive, moderate, or conservative ideologies. Each of the political movements is based on a specific set of principles.

In this article, our team has analyzed key political ideologies in the United States. Moreover, we prepared some useful writing tips on how to structure your paper. Below, you will find political ideology essay examples written by fellow students.

Key Political Ideologies in the USA

Need to write a political ideologies essay? Then, you should know the key principles of these two concepts: conservatism and liberalism. In this section, you’ll get an explanation of the essential political ideologies of the USA.

Conservatism is a political ideology that stands for preserving traditional values. Its proponents aim to promote personal responsibility. They also argue for these aspects:

  • the limited role of the government,
  • free trade,
  • individual freedom,
  • and a strong national defense.

Liberalism is the second major political ideology in the USA. It highlights the idea of empowering the government with the purpose of achieving equal opportunities for all members of society. In other words, the government’s key aim is to solve community issues and protect human rights.

For a better understanding, we’ve decided to compare conservative and liberal political ideas. You can explore them in your essay about political ideology.

To see the differences, you should consider four key areas:

  • Political ideas. In terms of politics, conservators are considered right-wing and anti-federalists. Naturally, liberalists are left-wing and federalists. Moreover, conservatism stands for a free market. In contrast, the proponents of liberalism aim to get free services (e.g., health care services) from the government.
  • Economic Ideas. According to the principles of conservatism, taxation and government spending should decrease. People with high incomes should have an incentive to invest. In contrast, liberals claim that taxes can increase if it benefits society.
  • Social Ideas. Conservatism has tighter social principles than liberalism. Its proponents fight against gay marriages and abortions. In contrast, liberals consider that each person has a right to marry or have an abortion. Plus, they oppose the death penalty that some conservatives accept. The proponents of conservatism stand for the legalization of guns. Meanwhile, liberals believe that gun usage should be restricted.
  • Personal Responsibility Ideas. In conservatism, laws are enacted to reflect the interest of society as a whole. Liberals believe that legislation is intended to protect every person for an equal society. According to conservatives, everyone is responsible for solving their own problems. Liberals, however, rely on the government when it comes to solving some major issues.

How to Write a Political Ideology Essay

In a political ideologies essay, you can elaborate on a huge number of concepts, events, figures, etc. You may be assigned to compare and contrast some political movements or examine a famous manifesto. Here, we have explained how to how to write an ideology essay on situations from the past.

To compose an essay about political ideologies, you should try the following steps:

  • Find or formulate a topic .

For your paper, select a topic that would create a space for substantive research. Keep in mind that you’ll have to describe the political ideology you’ve chosen. Thus, find something that is interesting for you and fits the assignment requirements. Our topic generator can help you with that.

  • Conduct research.

Conduct preliminary research to have a general understanding of your topic. First, explore different political ideologies that fit your assignment. Get to know related personalities, examine various political parties and communities, etc. Only with a clear vision of the political ideas will you come up with a sufficient thesis statement.

  • Develop a thesis.

Writing an effective thesis statement is the most significant part of the entire writing process. It’s the central point of your paper. Make sure it is stated clearly and concisely – you can let our thesis generator formulate one for you. Include your thesis statement at the end of the introduction. Here, the readers will quickly identify it.

  • Organize your thoughts and arguments.

After you come up with your thesis statement, start structuring your ideas. Develop several arguments and devote a separate paragraph for each of them. Ensure your points are logical and relevant. Add solid supportive evidence (evidence, examples, etc.). As you’ve dealt with your arguments, write an introduction and conclusion to your paper.

  • Pick quotes to use as your examples.

For political ideologies essay, quotes are the best examples! There is a great variety of sources. You can check the Constitution, remarks of famous politicians, doctrines, official documents. Just make sure the source is trustworthy. And don’t forget to cite your quotes appropriately.

  • Write and proofread.

Never underestimate the power of proofreading! Ideally, do it twice. For the first time, pay attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. For the second time, concentrate on the structure:

  • Are your arguments presented logically?
  • Does the introduction correspond to the conclusion?
  • Are your ideas clear and coherent?

Thanks for reading the article! Below you will find political ideology essay examples. They will help you explore the structure and format of such papers.

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11.4 Political Ideologies

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Identify key ideologies or theories in political philosophy, such as conservatism, liberalism, egalitarianism, socialism, and anarchism.
  • Discuss distributive justice within political ideologies.
  • Demonstrate how alienation continues to be a problem for workers in modern industrial societies.

When Bernie Sanders, the American senator from Vermont, ran for president of the United States in 2016 as a democratic socialist, he set off an intense debate in the country. What exactly was democratic socialism? This was a debate about political ideologies, or people’s beliefs about how a society should be run. Ideology can shape policies and laws, as the individuals holding office and positions of authority and the people who elect them are often influenced by ideological beliefs. This section looks at some key ideologies that have influenced how people think about their rights and the responsibilities of government.

Distributive Justice

One of the important differences among the ideologies examined below is how they approach the question of distributive justice . Distributive justice can be seen as a moral framework made up of principles that seek to ensure the greatest amount of fairness with respect to distributions of wealth, goods, and services (Olsaretti 2018). However, there is much debate surrounding what amounts to fairness. Is a just society one that provides for its members, allocating resources based on need, or is it one that allows for the greatest amount of personal freedom, even if that means that some members are radically better off than others? Furthermore, given that individuals begin at varying positions of social and economic status, should a society focus on meeting the needs of its disadvantaged members even if that results in an unequal distribution of goods, or should there be as little governmental interference as possible?

It is tempting to see distributive justice as a theoretical moral concern. However, views on what constitute basic needs, what resources should be considered public versus private, and whether or not there should be restrictions on the free market have real, practical ramifications when considered by governing bodies. Given this, it is important to keep in mind the role that principles of distributive justice play in the ideologies discussed below.

Conservatism

Conservativism is a political theory that favors institutions and practices that have demonstrated their value over time and provided sufficient evidence that they are worth preserving and promoting. Conservatism sees the role of government as serving society rather than controlling it and advocates gradual change in the social order, if and when necessary.

Edmund Burke and the French Revolution

Modern conservatism begins with the 18th-century Irish political theorist Edmund Burke (1729–1797), who opposed the French Revolution and whose Reflections on the French Revolution (1790) served as an inspiration for the development of a conservative political philosophy (Viereck et al. 2021). Shocked by the violence of the French Revolution, Burke advocated against radical revolution that destroyed functioning institutions that, though flawed, served a purpose. However, Burke supported the American Revolution because the colonists had already established political institutions, such as courts and administrations, and were taking the next gradual step: asking Britain to let them run these institutions on their own.

Fundamental Principles

Conservatives such as Burke are not opposed to reform, but they are wary of challenges to existing systems that have generally held up well. They believe that any sudden change is likely to lead to instability and greater insecurity. Moreover, conservatives are not against redistribution of resources, especially when it serves to alleviate severe poverty. However, they believe that such actions are best carried out at a local level (as opposed to a state or national level) by those who understand the needs of the individual community. Finally, conservatives are staunch supporters of property rights and oppose any system of reform that challenges them. Property rights serve as a check on governmental power and are seen as an essential part of a stable society (Moseley n.d.). As such, conservatism aligns with some principles of liberalism.

Conservatism maintains that human nature is fundamentally flawed and that we are driven more by selfish desires than by empathy and concern for others. Therefore, it is the job of social institutions such as church and school to teach self-discipline, and it is the job of the government to protect the established, fundamental values of society. Along with this rather Hobbesian view of humankind and belief in the preservation of historical traditions, conservatives believe that weaknesses in institutions and morals will become apparent over time and that they will either be forced to evolve, be discarded, or be gradually reformed (Moseley n.d.).

Liberalism in political philosophy does not have the same meaning as the word liberal in popular American discourse. For Americans, liberal means someone who believes in representative democracy and is politically left of center. For example, liberals generally favor regulating the activities of corporations and providing social welfare programs for the working and middle classes. Liberalism as a political philosophy, however, has quite a different emphasis.

Fundamental Principle of Liberty

British philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) expresses the fundamental principles of liberalism in his work On Liberty (1859), arguing for limited government on the grounds of utility. His interest is in “Civil, or Social Liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual” (Mill [1869] 2018). In this regard, he defends “one very simple principle,” which is the minimizing of government interference in people’s lives:

The sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. . . . The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. (Mill [1869] 2018)

In Mill’s view, real freedom is when people are able to pursue their own individual idea of “the good” in a manner they see fit. Mill’s claim is at the heart of most variants of liberalism.

Positive and Negative Liberty

We are at liberty when we are neither constrained to act nor obligated to refrain from acting in a certain way. At least since Isaiah Berlin’s (1905–1997) “Two Concepts of Liberty” (1958), this sort of liberty has been called negative liberty . Berlin, a British political theorist, suggests that negative liberty is “the area within which a man can act unobstructed by others” (Berlin 1969, 122). Negative liberty in the political realm often refers to the absence of government control over the lives of individuals, or in what we are reasonably able to do without interference. Conversely, Berlin thinks of positive liberty as “the wish on the part of the individual to be his own master” (131). We want our life decisions to depend on ourselves and not on external forces. “I wish to be the instrument of my own, not of other men’s, acts of will,” says Berlin (131). The ability to participate in democratic institutions, for example, is a form of positive liberty.

The Welfare State and Social Justice

Some theorists hold that negative liberty has limits when it comes to how much liberty, in practice, a person has at their disposal. The theory of justice that sees individuals as having claims on resources and care from others is often called welfare liberalism . Such theorists are not in favor of limited government and believe that the well-being of citizens must be a vital component of our agreement to obey a government. American philosopher John Rawls (1921–2002) famously makes this argument in his seminal book A Theory of Justice (1971), in which he attempts to articulate an account of fairness that satisfies our intuition that human freedom and social welfare are both important.

Rawls begins with the idea that society is a system of cooperation for mutual advantage. Given the fact of today’s pluralistic societies, people reasonably disagree about many important issues, which means we must find a way to live peaceably together with our differences and collectively determine our political institutions. In addition, Rawls believes that there are deep inequalities embedded in any basic social structure, which result from the fact that we are all born into different positions and have different expectations of life, largely determined by the political, economic, and social circumstances that attend those positions. Therefore, Rawls says, we must find a way to distance ourselves from our own particular concepts of such ideas as justice, the good, and religion and begin with relatively uncontroversial facts about human psychology and economics. We should then imagine ourselves in an “original position” behind the “ veil of ignorance ”; that is, we should imagine we do not know any facts about our personal circumstances, such as our economic status, our access to education and health services, or whether we have any talents or abilities that would be beneficial to us (Rawls 1999, 11). We also remain ignorant of any social factors such as our gender, race, class, and so forth. Because Rawls assumes that no one wants to live in a society in which they are disadvantaged, operating from this position offers the greatest chance of arranging a society in a way that is as fair and equitable as possible. For instance, we would not support a system that forbade all left-handed individuals from voting because we ourselves might fall into that group.

Rawls argues that two major principles should govern society. First, the “liberty principle” states that each person has an equal right to the same basic, adequate liberties. Basic liberties are liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom to hold property, and freedom of assembly. Second, the “difference principle” states that any social and economic inequalities must satisfy two conditions: (1) they must be attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of “fair equality of opportunity,” and (2) they must be to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged members of society. Note that Rawls is not advocating for an equal distribution of goods or advantages; rather, he says that any distribution of goods or power that is not equal can further disadvantage already disadvantaged individuals. His goal is to create a society that seeks to address inherent structural inequalities as well as possible (Rawls 1999, 13).

Egalitarianism

Rawls’s theory of justice has much in common with egalitarian theories. The term egalitarianism refers to a broad family of views that gives primary place to equality. The root egal (from the French) means “equal.” Egalitarian theories assert that all individuals should enjoy equal status and moral worth and that any legitimate system of government should reflect this value. More specifically, egalitarian theories do not argue that all individuals should be treated exactly the same; rather, they insist that individuals are all deserving of rights, including civil, social, and political rights.

Some theorists argue that equality of opportunity for welfare, meaning equality of opportunity to obtain resources, is the most important type of equality. In addition to resources, equality of opportunity includes a consideration of how individuals have acquired certain advantages. For example, nepotism (giving opportunities based on familial connections) and biases based on personal traits such as gender or race interfere with an individual’s ability to compete for resources. Any society that seeks a truly level playing field needs to contend with these issues.

One way to examine equality is to look at what individuals are able to do. The Indian economist Amartya Sen popularized a framework now known as the capability approach , which emphasizes the importance of providing resources to match individual need. This approach creates opportunities for each person to pursue what they need to live a flourishing life. An example of the capability approach is basic income, in which a city, state, or country might combat poverty by awarding everyone below a certain income level $1,000 per month.

The capability approach advocates “treating each person as an end” and “focus[ing] on choice and freedom rather than achievements” (Robeyns and Byskov 2021). According to American philosopher Martha Nussbaum (b. 1947), the capability approach would improve both justice outcomes and quality of life. She argues that a certain number of resources are necessary to enjoy a basic set of positive capabilities that all humans possess. Thus, each individual should be provided with those resources so that their life is not “so impoverished that it is not worthy of the dignity of a human being” (Nussbaum 2000, 72). What is beneficial about the capability approach is that it recognizes and respects the diverse needs of individuals based on different experiences and circumstances.

Listen to philosopher Martha Nussbaum discuss how the capabilities approach aids in creating a positive quality of life.

Martha Nussbaum

Rather than look to the individual, the often confused triad of socialism, Marxism, and communism examines inequality from an economic perspective. While socialism and communism both seek to address inequalities in goods and resources, socialism says that goods and resources should be owned and managed by the public and allocated based on the needs of the community rather than controlled solely by the state. A socialist system allows for the ownership of private property while relegating most control over basic resources to the government. Sometimes, as with democratic socialism, this is done through the democratic process, with the result that public resources, such as national parks, libraries, and welfare services, are controlled by a government of elected representatives.

Concepts of Socialism

Critique of capital.

While what are commonly called “Marxist ideals” did not originate solely with Karl Marx , he is responsible for coauthoring perhaps the most famous treatise criticizing capitalism, The Communist Manifesto (1848), and laying out a vision of a yet-unrealized true communist society. As such, it is important to examine his ideas in more detail.

Marx is critical of the private accumulation of capital , which he defines as money and commodities. Stockpiling of capital allows for private accumulation of power. Marx holds that the value of an object is determined by the socially necessary amount of labor used in the production of that object. In a capitalist system, labor is also a commodity, and the worker exchanges their work for a subsistence wage. In Marx’s view, workers’ labor in fact creates surplus value, for which they are not paid and which is claimed by the capitalist. Thus, the worker does not receive full value for their labor.

Marx identifies several kinds of alienation that result from the commodification of labor. To illustrate this, imagine some factory workers who have recently moved to a large city. Prior to the move, they lived in a small village, where they worked as furniture makers. They were responsible for each stage of the production, from imagining the design to obtaining the materials and creating the product. They sold the product and kept the profits of their labor. Now, however, they work on an assembly line, where they are responsible for producing a small part of an overall product. They are alienated both from the product and from their own productive nature because they have no hand in the product’s design and are involved in only a small part of its construction. They begin to see their labor, and by extension themselves, as a commodity to be sold.

The result of selling their labor is that they begin to see others as commodities as well. They begin to identify people not by who they are but by what they have accumulated and their worth as a product. In this way, they become alienated from themselves and from others, seeing them always as potential competition. For Marx, this leads to a sense of despair that is filled with material goods, thus solidifying the worker in their dependence on the capitalist system.

While the idea of negative liberty decries unnecessary government intervention in people’s lives, anarchism literally means “no ruler” or “no government.” The absence of a political authority conjures an image of the state of nature imagined by Thomas Hobbes—that is, a state of chaos. Anarchists, however, believe that disorder comes from government. According to this view, rational individuals mostly desire to live peaceful lives, free of government intervention, and this desire naturally leads them to create societies and institutions built on the principles of self-governance.

Motivations for Anarchism

One defense of anarchism is that governments do things that would be impermissible for private individuals. French philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–1865) observes that governments monitor citizens’ activities and attempt to control their behavior through force. The more technology governments have, the greater their attempts to control people. Proudhon ([1849] 2012) observes that such treatment is against human dignity.

Proudhonian anarchists are aware of the argument that people may have consented to give up some of their power to the government (as people do in a representative democracy, for example), which means that they must accept the treatment they receive. Yet Proudhon would deny that there is any example in history of a just government. Lysander Spooner (1808–1887), the 19th-century anarchist, says that all governments have come into existence through force and maintain their existence through force (Spooner 1870). Thus, some defend anarchism on the grounds that governments violate human rights.

Limits of Anarchism

Criticisms of anarchy are often twofold. The first is that without an organized police force, society would be unable to control outbreaks of violence. A related concern is that without a judicial system to arbitrate disputes and mete out justice, any resolution would be arbitrary. Anarchists, on the other hand, claim that most incidents of violence are the result of socioeconomic imbalances that would be resolved if the government were dismantled. Social anarchism, for instance, points to community involvement and mutual exchange of goods and services as a solution (Fiala 2021).

Yet some people associate anarchism with political violence, and in fact, some anarchists see violence as an unavoidable result of clashes with a violent and oppressive government. One of the most famous anarchists, Emma Goldman (1869–1940), wrote in her essay “The Psychology of Political Violence,” “Such acts are the violent recoil from violence, whether aggressive or repressive; they are the last desperate struggle of outraged and exasperated human nature for breathing space and life” (1917). However, many anarchists favor nonviolent tactics and civil disobedience, such as protests and the creation of autonomous zones, as opposed to political violence (Fiala 2018).

Anarchism and Feminism

Within anarchism, anarcha-feminism seeks to fight against gendered concepts that create inequity. Traditional gender roles only serve to cement unequal power distribution and further the class divide. Particularly, traditional concepts of women’s role in the domestic sphere mirror the depersonalization of the worker, with the woman seen as an extension of the home and domestic labor, rather than an independent autonomous person. It is worth noting that anarcha-feminism is in direct opposition to Proudhon, who believed that family was an essential aspect of society and that the traditional role of women within the family was necessary for its success (Proudhon 1875).

The author and poet bell hooks believes that the concerns driving anarchism can provide a motivation for current social action. She notes that the gaps between the rich and the poor are widening in the United States and that because of the “feminization of poverty” (by which she means the inequality in living standards due to gender pay disparity), a grassroots radical feminist movement is needed “that can build on the strength of the past, including the positive gains generated by reforms, while offering meaningful interrogation of existing feminist theory that was simply wrongminded while offering us new strategies” (hooks 2000, 43). She sees such a “visionary movement” (43) as grounded in the real-life conditions experienced by working-class and impoverished women.

Feminists historically have had to fight to make space for themselves within anarchist movements. The Spanish female collective Mujeres Libres formed during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) in reaction to what they saw as a dismissal of women’s issues by the anarchist movement. Members of Mujeres Libres sought to support female activists and improve the lives of working-class women through literacy drives, employment programs, and child care facilities in both neighborhoods and factories (Ackelsberg 1985). These and other initiatives that focused on creating opportunities for women helped develop a sense of social engagement and foster a desire for social change.

Table 11.2 summarizes the political ideologies discussed in this chapter.

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100 Words Essay on Political Ideology

What is political ideology.

Political ideology is a set of ideas that explains how society should work. People use these ideas to think about politics and decide what they believe is right or wrong in the world. It’s like a map that guides them to make choices about how to run a country.

Types of Political Ideologies

There are many different political ideologies. Some want less government control, like liberalism. Others, like communism, want more government control to make things equal for everyone. Conservatism likes to keep things as they are, while socialism wants to share wealth more fairly.

Why Political Ideologies Matter

Political ideologies are important because they shape our world. They influence laws, how schools teach, and even what people can say or do. Leaders use them to decide how to govern, and voters use them to choose which leaders they want. Ideologies help people make sense of complex political ideas.

Changing Ideologies

Ideologies can change over time. What was popular many years ago might not be today. For example, ideas about freedom and equality have changed a lot. As the world changes, so do the political beliefs of the people. This means new ideologies can emerge, while old ones may fade away.

250 Words Essay on Political Ideology

Political ideology is like a set of ideas that people have about how a country should be run. Think of it as a big rule book for the government that tells them what they should do and why. Just like we have rules at home or in school, political ideology gives rules to leaders and citizens about the best way to manage a country.

There are many different types of political ideologies, and each one has its own ideas about what’s important. For example, some people believe in freedom above everything else, so they support an ideology called liberalism. Others think that everyone should be equal and help each other, which is a key part of socialism. Then there are those who want to keep traditional ways and resist big changes; they lean towards conservatism.

Political ideologies are important because they help us understand different opinions and why people might disagree on big issues. They shape the decisions that leaders make, like whether to spend more money on schools or on the army. Ideologies also influence how citizens see the world and what they think the future should look like.

Political Ideologies in Action

In real life, political ideologies can be seen in the laws that countries make, the speeches of politicians, and even in everyday discussions between friends and family. They guide how people vote and the kinds of groups or parties they support. Understanding political ideologies can help us make sense of the news and the world around us.

500 Words Essay on Political Ideology

A political ideology is a set of ideas about how a country should be run. Think of it like a game plan for a team, but instead of playing a sport, it’s about leading a country. This plan includes thoughts on what is most important for a country, like freedom, equality, or tradition, and how the government should help achieve these goals.

There are many different political ideologies, but some are more common than others. For example, liberalism is an ideology that values freedom and equality. People who believe in liberalism want everyone to have the same chances in life and often think the government should help make this happen.

Conservatism is another ideology that focuses on keeping traditions and values that have been around for a long time. People who are conservative might not want too many changes too quickly and might believe that solving problems should be left to individuals rather than the government.

Socialism is an ideology that says the wealth of a country should be shared more equally among its people. This might mean the government owns things like factories and hospitals and runs them for the benefit of everyone.

Why Political Ideology Matters

Political ideologies are important because they help shape the rules and laws in a country. They influence how leaders make decisions and how they solve problems. For instance, if a leader believes in socialism, they might make laws that help spread wealth more equally. On the other hand, a leader who believes in conservatism might make laws that keep things the way they are.

Political Ideology in Everyday Life

You might not realize it, but political ideologies can affect everyday life. If your school gets new books or computers, it could be because of the government’s ideology about education. If your parents talk about taxes or healthcare, they’re discussing issues that are deeply connected to political ideologies.

Political Ideology and Democracy

In a democracy, people have the power to choose their leaders and have a say in what the government does. This is where political ideologies come into play. Different leaders have different ideologies, and when people vote, they are choosing the ideology they think is best for their country.

Political ideology is like a map that guides a country’s journey. It affects everything from schools to hospitals, jobs to taxes. Knowing about different political ideologies can help you understand why leaders make certain choices and how those choices can change a country. Just like in a game, it’s important to know the plan, so you can be part of the team that decides the direction your country takes.

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Political ideologies essay.

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Ideologies are systems of ideas that shape people’s thoughts and actions with regard to many things, including nationality, race, the role and function of government, property and class divisions, the relations between men and women, human responsibility for the natural environment, and more. These systems of ideas have proven to be potent, and often lethal, political forces. As the historian Isaiah Berlin observed in his 1992 book The Crooked Timber of Humanity, “the great ideological storms” of the twentieth century “have altered the lives of virtually all mankind,” producing not only revolutions but “totalitarian tyrannies of both right and left and . . . explosions of nationalism, racism, and, in places, of religious bigotry. . . .These great movements began with ideas in people’s heads: ideas about what relations between men have been, are, might be, and should be; and . . . [these ideas were] transformed in the name of a vision of some supreme goal in the minds of the leaders, above all of the prophets with armies at their backs” (p. 1).

Not all ideologies have spawned totalitarian tyrannies—not conservatism, for example, nor the liberalism that Berlin himself embraced. But there is no doubt that the “armed prophets” to whom he referred—Vladimir Illich Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, and many others—left the landscape of the twentieth century littered with millions of corpses. Nor is there any reason to think that the apparent demise of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism in the last century signaled the end of ideologies. On the contrary, the twenty-first century already bears the stamp of new and continuing ideologies: of militant nationalists bent on ethnic cleansing, of radical Islamists dedicated to suicide bombing and other forms of terrorism, and of white racists and black Afrocentrists, gay liberationists and “traditional-values” conservatives, feminists and antifeminists, and many others engaged in culture wars. Political ideologies are potent and persistent, in short, and well worth understanding. Such an understanding begins with the history of the concept.

The History Of Ideology

The word ideologie was coined by Antoine Destutt de Tracy (1754–1836), who hoped to found a systematic study of the origins of ideas in the revolutionary decade of the 1790s. Like many other French philosophers of the eighteenth century, de Tracy drew on the ideas of John Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690). Locke had argued that the mind is like a tabula rasa, or blank slate, in that people are born with no knowledge or ideas; everything we know and every idea we have is thus the result of sense experience. de Tracy took this claim about the nature of knowledge as the starting point for his own science of ideas, or ideologie.

As de Tracy conceived it, however, this science was to serve the revolutionary purpose of remaking society. If ideas are the result of experience, he reasoned, it must be possible to discover their sources and explain how people come to have the ideas that they have—including the false and misleading ideas that stand in the way of freedom and progress. Among these were religious ideas, which he regarded as mere superstitions. With the aid of the new science of ideologie, however, de Tracy thought it would be possible not only to remove these and other misleading ideas from people’s minds but to replace them with ideas that would lead to a rational and happy society. From the beginning, then, the concept of ideology has been associated with the attempt to shape how people think to move them to act in certain ways.

Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church, the nobility, and powerful political elites viewed ideologie and the “ideologues,” as de Tracy’s followers were called, with alarm. With its emphasis on rationality and science, ideologie posed a threat to traditional authority in politics and society as in religion. In conservative circles, the word ideologie quickly acquired negative connotations as something false, seductive, and dangerous. But it was Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) who quashed de Tracy’s attempt to found a reforming science of ideas. Once a supporter of the ideologues, Napoleon changed positions in the early 1800s when, as self-proclaimed emperor of France, he needed the support of the church and the nobility. Denouncing ideologie as “sinister metaphysics,” he declared the new science to be nothing but a mask to cover the subversive plans of his opponents and critics.

This sense of ideology as hiding or masking something is also evident in the way that Karl Marx (1818–1883) used the concept some forty years later. In Marx’s hands, however, ideology referred to a set or system of ideas that served to justify and legitimize the rule of a dominant social class. As Marx and Friedrich Engels (1820–1895) argued in The German Ideology, the task of the revolutionary philosopher is to unmask and expose “the illusion of the epoch”—an illusion shared by rulers and ruled alike but working to the advantage of the rulers at the expense of those they ruled. Once the class or classes at the bottom of society begin to see that the ruling class has no legitimate claim to its dominant position—that is, once the oppressed people see through the ideology that supports their oppressors—then revolution becomes a real possibility.

Marx’s conception of ideology was not politically neutral. It was, as he acknowledged, a “weapon” in the “class struggle.” But Marx thought it was a particularly powerful weapon because it revealed that the prevailing ways of thinking about social relations throughout history were merely complex and subtle defenses of the power and privileges of the dominant classes. Yet his own theory, he maintained, was not biased or ideological in this way, but “scientific.” The theory did promote the interests of the oppressed and exploited, but Marx held that the interests of the exploited class in his day, the proletariat, were the interests of all humanity. To expose “the illusion of the epoch” as mere ideology thus was to speak the truth in a way that opened the possibility of a classless society in which ideology and illusion will disappear.

For Marx, then, as for Napoleon, ideology was a pejorative term. But this negative connotation began to shift when Karl Mannheim (1893–1947) and others pointed out that Marx’s use of ideology as a weapon against the dominant class could be turned against Marx’s theory. For if Marx is right when he says that the ruling ideas of society serve to justify the dominance of the ruling class, is it not also likely that the ideas of other social classes arise out of their interests and aspirations? What people think—not just the ruling class but everyone— may depend on their social positions. In his Ideology and Utopia (1929), Mannheim called for a “sociology of knowledge” to trace the social origins of ideas and beliefs.

According to Mannheim, the sociology of knowledge requires us to distinguish between the “particular” and “total” conceptions of ideology. To accuse one’s political opponents of being ideological, for example, is to employ the particular conception, as the use of ideological implies that their views are biased, distorted, and serve some hidden interest. Total conception, by contrast, refers to the characteristic ways of thinking of an entire class, society, or historical period, such as medieval society or modernity. Because these ways of thought are so broad and encompassing, Mannheim doubted that anyone could ever stand outside them, entirely free from the web of social and economic interests, and thus be in a position to unmask the ideological sources of all ideas and beliefs. In this way he raised the disturbing possibility that all our thinking about society and social relations is ideological. Mannheim did believe that intellectuals may be able to achieve a synthesis of opposing perspectives that comes closer to the whole truth, but even then it would be the truth of a specific historical time and place.

By raising the possibility that all social thought is ideological, Mannheim implied that there is no purely scientific or objective understanding of social arrangements. In doing so, however, he stretched the idea of ideology to mean something like a system of beliefs about the social world, or a Weltanschauung (worldview). He may also have made it harder to determine just what an ideology is. Indeed, some twentieth century social scientists concluded that the term is too vague and contested to be useful for scholarly analysis. One counted twenty-seven definitional elements of ideology, for example, and others urged that a less confusing and loaded term, such as belief system, should supplant ideology.

As its continuing use attests, ideology has proved too important and powerful a word to be abandoned or replaced. Yet it continues to be the source of disagreement. To many, ideology remains a pejorative term. In their view, ideologies are bad because they always simplify and distort matters. Worse yet, ideologues use emotion-rousing slogans and simplistic analyses to persuade people that their ideology has a monopoly on the truth. Anyone who disagrees must be an enemy of truth, justice, and progress— an enemy who must be either converted or defeated. As Daniel Bell says in his 1961 book The End of Ideology (pp. 399–400), “Ideology makes it unnecessary for people to confront individual issues on their individual merits. One simply turns to the ideological vending machine, and out comes the prepared formulae. And when these beliefs are suffused by apocalyptic fervor, ideas become weapons, and with dreadful results.”

In contrast to this negative view, many people now use ideology in a neutral fashion. For example, it is not unusual to find a candidate for political office distinguishing his or her ideology from that of an opponent. In such cases, ideology means a more or less consistent set of ideas, beliefs, and convictions about how the social world does and should operate. The candidate is likely to claim that his or her ideology is right, good, or somehow superior to the opponent’s, but this claim can be made only when people believe that an ideology is not necessarily a bad thing. If it were, it would be foolish to admit that one is acting on the basis of an ideology.

Despite their differences, the negative and the neutral conceptions of ideology have at least two points in common. First, both conceptions depart from de Tracy’s original understanding of ideologie as the scientific study of ideas, and second, both join de Tracy in using ideology to refer to a set of ideas that tries to link thought to action. That is, in both conceptions ideologies attempt to shape how people think—and therefore how they act.

A Provisional Definition Of Ideology

These points of agreement suggest a definition of ideology that provides a useful basis for identifying, comparing, and contrasting various ideologies. According to this definition, an ideology is a more or less coherent and comprehensive set of ideas that explains and evaluates social conditions, helps people understand their place in society, and provides a program for social and political action. In other words, an ideology performs four functions for people who hold it: the explanatory, evaluative, orientative, and programmatic functions.

Explanation. An ideology explains why social, political, and economic conditions are as they are, particularly in times of crisis. Why are there wars? Why do depressions occur? Why are some people rich and others poor? Why are relations between races so often strained and difficult? To these and many other questions each ideology supplies—or at least hints at—its own answers. A Marxist might explain wars as an outgrowth of capitalists’ competition for foreign markets, for instance, while a Fascist is apt to explain them as tests of one nation’s will against another’s. Their explanations are sometimes quite different, as these examples indicate, but all ideologies offer a way of looking at complex events and conditions that tries to make sense of them. Moreover, those who are firmly committed to a particular ideology—ideologues—typically will offer simple or even simplistic explanations as they try to convert as many people as possible to their side.

Evaluation. The second function of ideologies is to supply standards for evaluating social conditions. Are all wars evils to be avoided, or are some morally justifiable? Are depressions a normal part of the business cycle or a symptom of a sick economic system? Are vast disparities of wealth desirable or undesirable? Are racial tensions inevitable or avoidable? Again, an ideology supplies its followers with the criteria required for answering these and similar questions. Those who adhere to one ideology may evaluate favorably something that the followers of a different one greatly dislike—communists look at class struggle as a necessary step on the way to communism, for example, while Fascists regard it as an outright evil. Whatever the position may be, however, all ideologies provide standards or cues that help people assess, judge, and appraise social policies and conditions.

Orientation. Ideologies also supply their adherents with an orientation and a sense of identity—of who the individual is, the group (race, nation, gender, class, and so on) to which he or she belongs, and how he or she is related to the rest of the world. Like a compass, ideologies help people to locate themselves in a complicated world. Communists stress the importance of social-economic classes, for example, with the working class being the victim of exploitation by its capitalist oppressors; Nazis think that racial identity is all important; and feminists maintain that one’s gender is fundamental to personal and political identity in a world marked by sexual oppression and exploitation. Other ideologies lead their adherents to perceive their social situation or position in still other ways, but all perform the function of orientation.

Political program. Finally, an ideology performs a programmatic or prescriptive function by setting out a general program of social and political action. The Russian Marxist Vladimir Illich Lenin (1870–1924) made this point in the title of one of his revolutionary tracts, What Is To Be Done? As he saw it, part of the answer is that the Communist Party must take the lead in seizing state power, overthrowing capitalism, and eventually creating a cooperative, communist society. Other ideologies, of course, advance very different programs: Nazis try to rouse the master race to take action against Jews and other supposedly inferior peoples, libertarians advocate policies that will reduce or eliminate government interference in the free market, and a social or religious conservative will call for the state or government to promote morality or traditional values.

In addition to providing a useful way to compare and contrast ideologies, this functional definition helps to clarify what an ideology is by eliminating possibilities that do not perform all four functions. Thus, it enables us to distinguish political ideologies from some of the other isms, such as terrorism, that are sometimes mistaken for ideologies. Terrorism may offer a program for social and political action, but it does not explain and evaluate conditions or provide people with an orientation. It is a strategy that some ideologues use to try to advance their causes, but terrorism is not itself an ideology.

The functional definition also helps to distinguish democracy from political ideologies. Unlike socialism, conservatism, and the other ideologies, democracy offers no explanation of why things are the way they are, and it is only in a loose sense that we can say that democracy performs the evaluative, orientative, or programmatic functions. Moreover, most political ideologies claim to be democratic—Fascism, Nazism, and radical Islamism are the notable exceptions—and they could hardly make this claim if democracy were an ideology itself. One can easily claim to be a conservative democrat, a liberal democrat, or a social(ist) democrat, for instance, but not so easily claim to be a socialist conservative, say, or a liberal Fascist.

Human Nature And Political Ideologies

Ideologies also harbor, at least implicitly, some conception of human nature—of basic human drives, motivations, limitations, and possibilities. Some ideologies assume that it is the nature of human beings to compete with one another in hopes of acquiring the greatest possible share of scarce resources; others hold that people are naturally inclined to cooperate with and share what they have with others. So, for example, a classical liberal or contemporary libertarian is likely to believe that humans are naturally competitive and acquisitive. A socialist, however, will hold that competitiveness and acquisitiveness are unnatural vices nurtured by a deformed and deforming capitalist system that warps people whose true nature is to be cooperative and generous.

These and other conceptions of human nature are important to the understanding of political ideologies because they play a large part in determining how each ideology performs the four aforementioned functions. They are especially important because each ideology’s view of human nature sets limits on what it considers to be politically possible. This connection is particularly evident in the stance ideologies take toward revolutionary change. The fact that most ideologies have played a revolutionary part in modern politics at one time or another, beginning with liberalism in the French Revolution (1789– 1799)—if not sooner—suggests that most ideologies have a fairly optimistic view of what people are capable of accomplishing. After all, people will not undertake anything so radical and uncertain as a revolution unless they believe it possible to bring about a fundamental change for the better in society. Conversely, the connection between ideologies and conceptions of human nature also explains why conservatives tend to be suspicious of or downright hostile toward revolutions, for their estimate of human nature generally leads them to believe that sweeping improvements in society are either impossible or unlikely and certainly dangerous to attempt.

Core assumptions about human nature have led most ideologies, at one time or another, to call for revolution, for slow or rapid reform, for a rigid defense of the status quo, or even (in the case of reactionaries) for a return to the way things used to be. In any case, ideas—especially those systems of ideas called ideologies—clearly have consequences. These consequences, whether intended or not, are sometimes benign and sometimes dire.

Bibliography:

  • Bell, Daniel. The End of Ideology: On the Exhaustion of Political Ideas in the Fifties. 2d ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2000. First published 1961.
  • Berlin, Isaiah. The Crooked Timber of Humanity: Chapters in the History of Ideas. New York:Vintage, 1992.
  • Carver,Terrell. “Ideology: The Career of a Concept.” In Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader, 8th ed., edited by T. Ball and R. Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman, 2011.
  • Converse, Philip. “The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics.” In Ideology and Discontent, edited by D. Apter. New York: Free Press, 1964.
  • Freeden, Michael. Ideologies and Political Theory: A Conceptual Approach. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Goldie, Mark. “Ideology.” In Political Innovation and Conceptual Change, edited by T. Ball, J. Farr, and R. Hanson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
  • Lichtheim, George. The Concept of Ideology, and Other Essays. New York: Random House, 1967.
  • Mannheim, Karl. Ideology and Utopia. Translated by L.Wirth and E. Shils. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1936. First published 1929.
  • McLellan, David. Ideology. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1986.

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example of political ideology essay

How to answer the 24 Mark Ideologies Question (Edexcel)

Note: This guidance should not be treated in any way as official Pearson Edexcel guidance.

example of political ideology essay

The 24 Mark Ideologies question on Paper 1 and Paper 2 are a different type of question to the 30 Mark Essay and Source Questions. In the 30 Mark questions you are required to put forward an argument regarding the question and whether you believe the premise of the question to be accurate. However, in the 24 Mark Ideologies question you are not testing whether the ideologies are correct in their thinking about an issue, instead, you are solely considering the extent of agreement between the different strands of the same ideology. However, it is important to note that the assessment objectives are the same:

What are the Assessment Objectives in Edexcel A-Level Politics? – Politics Teaching

What should the overall structure of the 30 Mark Essay Question look like?

The 24 Mark essay should be structured different depending on the type of question that it is. There are two types of question:

  • Holistic Question
  • Thematic Question

The holistic question is one that simply asks whether or not there is more agreement or disagreement within an ideology. These questions will be rare; however, they have been asked before. If the question is holistic, you can answer it using the big four themes:

  • Human Nature

You can look at how much the strands of the ideology agree or disagree about these themes (you do not necessarily need to look at each of them individually and can instead be merged).

The other type of question is a thematic question, these will either be based on the big themes (Economy, Society, Human Nature and States) or the core principles indicated on the first page of the specification for each ideology.

These questions should themselves be approached thematically, with themes selected which are relevant to the question.

As the ideologies are more prescriptive and the exam questions have to be based on the spec, predicting potential questions for ideologies is much easier. This post highlights the most likely ideologies questions for Conservatism, Socialism, Liberalism and Feminism.

What is meant by a thematic approach?

A thematic approach means selecting themes that are relevant to explaining the agreement and disagreements within the theme. For example:

Q. To what extent do Socialists agree on the issue of the economy?

Themes for this might be: a short paragraph on fundamental agreement, socialists’ views towards capitalism and socialist views on common ownership.

Q. To what extent do Liberals agree on the issues of freedom and liberty?

Themes for this might be: Liberal rationales for freedom based on human nature, the potential limits of personal freedom and the role of the state in addressing freedom.

How many paragraphs should I write?

If the ideology has three strands (like Socialism) your essay might best look like this:

Introdution

Short Paragraph on Fundamental Agreement

If the ideology has two strands (like Liberalism):

Introduction

What is the Golden Rule in Ideologies Essays?

The Golden Rule in Politics essays is that no paragraph/section of the essay should ever be about one strand. The problem with this approach is that whilst you may score high AO1 marks (as you can show excellent knowledge) you will not be directly analysing the differences/similarities between the strands, which is what is absolutely essential in these questions. Therefore, the following structure, whilst tempting, should be avoided:

Paragraph 1 – Revolutionary Socialists

Paragraph 2 – Social Democrats

Paragraph 3 – Third Way Socialists

What is the importance of the Named Thinkers?

example of political ideology essay

It is essential that you include the Named Thinkers in your essays. There is an important differentiation to be made between Named Thinkers and Key Thinkers . For example, Adam Smith, who authored the Wealth of Nations, is an extremely important contributor to the understanding of classical liberalism. This means you can talk about his theory of the invisible hand of the market and receive good credit under AO1. However, he is not one of the Named Thinkers . There are five Named Thinkers for each ideology, and you have to use at least two or you are limited to Level 2 (9 marks out of 24). It is of course useful if you can use more than two, as you will be awarded AO1 marks if you do. It is very important to note that using the Named Thinkers does not just mean naming them, you need to deploy them in context. You do not need to quote from the thinkers but learning some key short quotes can be helpful.

Where are AO1 Marks being awarded?

AO1 marks are awarded for knowledge and understanding. They are awarded for understanding of the different strands and for the use of the named thinkers. Just as in the 30 Mark questions, the more specific you are able to be and the greater breadth of knowledge you can deploy will result in a higher AO1 mark. In addition, the use of political terminology is important within AO1.

Note, there is no requirement to bring in other ideologies and doing so is unlikely to see marks awarded.

Where are AO2 Marks being awarded?

The AO2 marks are rewarded for the analysis of similarity and difference between the strands of the ideology. This will build upon the knowledge developed.

Where are the AO3 Marks being awarded?

AO3 marks are being awarded for the judgement being made on whether or not there is agreement or disagreement between the themes. Just like in the 30 Mark Essay and 30 Mark Source questions, AO3 should not be saved simply for the conclusion, you should also be making judgements at the end of each section and setting out your argument in the introduction.

In addition, you should remember the question stem is ‘To what extent ‘. The strands will not just agree or disagree, there will be an extent to which they do so, and you must try to consider this.

What other important lessons have been learned from previous exam series?

  • It is really important to make sure the Named Thinkers are being used to support the analysis of the strands, the Named Thinkers should not be the driving force of the essay itself.
  • It is important to ensure you consider the extent of both agreement and disagreement. There may be occasions where there is limited agreement or disagreement, but you still need to consider it where it exists and achieve some balance between them. To ensure you do this, it can be good to do a short paragraph on fundamental agreements before your main paragraphs.
  • You must focus on the relevance of the theme you have selected to answer the question. You cannot just fall into a generic description of different themes.
  • Current political examples are useful to use to illustrate the ideology in action and is rewardable as AO1. For example, Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s economic policies are a good example of a Neo-Liberal economic policy. However, this is not a study of political parties so this should only be done where appropriate (where it illustrates a point of the ideology) and should not over-focused on.

Exemplar Answer

Q. To what extent do Socialists agree on the issue of Workers’ Control? (24 Marks)

Workers’ control refers to the management of the means of production by workers, rather than by the middle-class. This can either be directly through collective ownership or indirectly through public control. Whilst all socialists advocate for the rights of working people, it does not necessarily follow that they all advocate for workers’ control of industry. In order to answer this question, the following need to be considered: the role of class in the theory and how industry should finally be organised. Ultimately, socialists do not widely agree on the theory of the importance Workers’ Control. Whilst there is some commonality between revolutionary socialists and democratic socialists, social democrats depart from the theory whilst Third Way socialists reject it entirely.

Differing beliefs in class heavily impact ideological views towards workers’ control. The strands of socialism that advocate giving more control to workers are those that see class as the most significant dividing line in society.  Revolutionary socialists like Marx and Engels believed that societies were all defined by class conflict. In each historical era there was a dialectic struggle and at the time of Das Kapital (1867) the struggle was between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. Marx and Engels believed that the wealth of the bourgeoisie was accumulated through the exploitation of the labour of the proletariat. As such, revolutionary socialists advocate the replacement of capitalism with a system where the workers will be properly rewarded for their labour and that is run for the benefit of the workers. They believed this could only be achieved by direct workers’ control of the means of production. Democratic Socialists like Beatrice Webb have commonality with this view, also recognising that capitalism was the main cause of ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality’. They therefore advocated for workers control of industry to ensure workers received the ‘full fruits of their labour’. Conversely, social democrats are less clear that the traditional class struggle is as important as Marx suggested. As part of the post-war social democratic consensus, successive governments believed the key to the supporting workers was not control of industry, but public spending. Anthony Crosland, for example, was a key proponent in the emergence of comprehensive schools to allow social mobility. Further to this, Third Way socialists reject the concept of class as a dividing line believing there has been embourgeoisement since the 1980s through policies like the Right to Buy. Whilst they accept there is inequality, they do not believe this is part of a dialectic class struggle. Therefore, there is significant disagreement on the ideological basis for workers’ control, with revolutionary and democratic socialists believe class struggle justifies it whilst social democrats and third way socialists reject this view.

There are consequently also clear differences in how differing strands of socialism believe industry should be organised. Revolutionary socialists believe that workers had to take control of the means of production directly and, if necessary, through revolution. Marx believed that there should be a dictatorship of the proletariat after which there should be collective ownership, whilst slightly differently, Luxembourg believed that the dictatorship of the proletariat was folly and would simply lead to dictatorship of the party. Therefore, she advocated a spontaneous revolution after class consciousness had been achieved and therefore socialism would win a democratic mandate. Whilst democratic socialists share the goal of workers control, their methods are different. They believe that it should be achieved through nationalisation of industry. Famously, Beatrice Webb was a key author of the 1918 Labour constitution which included Clause IV which said workers should have “common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange”. This can be seen in the program of Clement Attlee to nationalise key industries like coal, rail, and electricity between 1945 and 1951. Whilst democratic socialists believe there may be a place for limited public ownership, they believe that free enterprise can help workers. For example, Harold MacMillan’s middle way saw low unemployment and a rise in real wages leading to his statement in 1957 that “you’ve never had it so good”. The rise in tax revenue could be used to fund social programs like increased pensions for workers. Contrarily to all strands, third way socialists reject workers control entirely. They believe that a free market neo-liberal economy is the only way that wealth can be achieved which can then be used to support social justice projects. Famously, Peter Mandelson said “we don’t mind people being filthy rich as long as they pay their taxes”. This greater tax yield could be used to fund huge projects to increase equality of opportunity for workers. Under New Labour this included the largest school and hospital building program in history. The fact that New Labour oversaw the removal of Clause IV in 1995 is a clear indicator of the ideological shift that Third Way socialists follow. In summation, there are significant disagreements between how industry should be organised. Revolutionary socialists and democratic socialists believe that workers should have control of industry, either directly or indirectly. However, Third Way socialists reject this entirely, believing workers’ control limits economic growth. Therefore, whilst some strands have agreement, overall, there is limited agreement on how industry should be organised.

In conclusion, it is clear that socialists do not agree on worker’s control to a significant extent because they disagree on both the justification for it and how industry should in fact be organised. Whilst there is clear agreement between revolutionary socialists and democratic socialists on the class struggle as a justification for workers’ control, both social democrats and Third Way socialists question the importance of class struggle in society. Further, whilst revolutionary socialists and democratic socialists agree industry should be organised with Worker’s in control, either directly or indirectly, Third Way socialists reject this entirely, believing it stunts innovation and economic growth – thereby harming working people. Therefore, it cannot be said there is significant agreement amongst socialists on workers’ control.

What is good about this response?

  • It follows the Golden Rule for Ideologies questions that every paragraph compares the different strands of the ideology.
  • Good knowledge is shown of all strands with consideration of differences and agreement.
  • The Key Thinkers are used at not just named.
  • It develops thematic points which address the question.
  • It clearly considers the extent or agreement and disagreement within the themes relevant to the question.
  • Note – It is normally a good idea to do a short paragraph on fundamental agreements before the thematic paragraphs, however, this was not necessary for this answer as the fundamental agreements were very limited.

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Good Example Of Essay On My Political Ideology

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Politics , Ideology , Democracy , Sociology , Government , Supreme Court , Freedom , Justice

Published: 12/03/2020

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I would describe my political ideology as social liberal democrat if there is such an ideology. This is based on the fact that, on the one hand, I am socially liberal. I believe that there is a role for the government in addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, healthcare and education. I also believe that the government must be dedicated to protecting the civil and human rights of its citizens. That is to say the government must be dedicated to social justice. I also believe in environmental sustainability, free trade. On the other hand, I would also consider myself a social democrat in that I believe in both multi-party democracy and political freedom, or the idea that every person has the right to decide how she lives and that the state cannot interfere with this freedom unreasonably. I also believe that the law should treat everyone equally and that everyone has an equal opportunity to be the best that they can be. Lastly, I believe that everyone should contribute to the greater good so taxes are alright if they are used to fund public education or universal healthcare. Moreover, one of the key goals of the government is to help mitigate the injustices of modern society and make it more equitable, whether that is requiring business to protect the environment, treat their workers fairly or support a social welfare program. I think, initially, the biggest influences on the development of my political ideology were my parents and family. My parents had a fairly liberal point-of-view on a range of topics and always supported liberal candidates. Moreover, one of my favorite aunts was a nurse and so from her I learned the power of social justice and helping those that cannot help themselves. Later, as I got older, I began exploring on my own some of the ideas and principles that I came into contact with when I was younger. I found that the more I learned about these concepts of social justice, political freedom, civil and human rights, the more they seemed agreeable to me. My political ideology is important to me. I think that it informs many of the decisions that I make whether it is deciding to offer my assistance to a stranger on the street to deciding a product or service to buy (in the sense of does the company share my political ideology). As mentioned, I think that my political ideology definitely influences many of the decisions I make but not all and not in every situation. In fact, I do not think one should be absolutely controlled by their political ideology because not every situation will be able to be explained by it. Lastly, I think that the results of the typology test accurately reflect my political ideology. This is based on the fact that it indicated my tendencies to support liberal points of view. Moreover it was accurate in illustrating my “all for one and one for all” attitude.

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Fascism Demystified: Decoding an Authoritarian Ideology

This essay about fascism unravels the intricacies of the political ideology, providing accessible insights into its birth, characteristics, and historical expressions. Framed as a socio-political system emerging in the early 20th century, fascism is depicted by an authoritarian grip, fervent nationalism, and concentrated dictatorial power. The narrative dissects the roots of fascism, often grounded in societal upheaval, economic instability, or political turbulence, emphasizing its hyper-nationalistic fervor and impact on collective identity. Central to fascist regimes is the concentration of power in a singular leader, leading to the suppression of dissent and a disregard for democratic principles. The essay navigates through fascism’s departure from liberal democracy, its corporatist economic model, aversion to pluralism, and reliance on propaganda. By examining historical expressions led by figures like Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco, the essay underscores the dangers of unchecked fascist ideologies, emphasizing the need for understanding to safeguard democratic values and recognize authoritarian warning signs. PapersOwl offers a variety of free essay examples on the topic of Fascism.

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This exploration delves into the intricate facets of fascism, breaking down its definition into accessible terms for a comprehensive understanding of this intricate political ideology. Fundamentally, fascism surfaces as a socio-political system birthed in the early 20th century, characterized by an authoritarian grip, fervent nationalism, and the consolidation of dictatorial power.

The roots of fascism often dig into the soil of societal upheaval, economic instability, or political turbulence. It burgeons from an intense allegiance to the nation, placing collective interests above individual concerns.

This hyper-nationalistic fervor becomes the lifeblood of fascist movements, fostering a sense of unity and identity among citizens navigating tumultuous times.

At the heart of fascism lies the centralization of power in a singular, often charismatic leader. This figurehead assumes a dictatorial mantle, wielding authority that permeates all facets of government and society. The hallmark of fascist regimes is the stifling of dissent and a disdain for democratic principles, prioritizing order and obedience over individual freedoms.

Fascism takes a departure from the principles of liberal democracy and socialism, embracing a corporatist economic model. In this symbiotic relationship, the state collaborates closely with influential corporations, the aim being to serve the interests of the nation. This entails placing economic pursuits in subservience to the collective good, emphasizing self-sufficiency.

Integral to comprehending fascism is recognizing its aversion to pluralism. Fascist ideologies perceive diversity of thought and identity as threats to national unity. Consequently, these regimes enforce strict social conformity, suppressing dissenting voices and undermining institutions that champion individual liberties.

A further dimension of fascism lies in its reliance on propaganda and the manipulation of mass media. Propaganda becomes a potent tool, shaping public perception by glorifying the leader, denigrating perceived enemies, and perpetuating a myth of national superiority. This control over information reinforces the regime’s authority, discouraging dissent by sculpting a carefully curated narrative.

Fascist movements also commonly embrace militarism and territorial expansion as core tenets. The exaltation of military strength intertwines with notions of national greatness, driving aggressive foreign policies to assert dominance and secure perceived national interests.

It is crucial to recognize that fascism does not adhere to a universally defined doctrine. Different movements may adopt varied ideologies, adapting to specific historical and cultural contexts. However, the consistent threads of authoritarianism, hyper-nationalism, and centralized power under a charismatic leader define fascism.

Historically, fascism found expression in movements led by figures like Benito Mussolini in Italy, Adolf Hitler in Germany, and Francisco Franco in Spain. These regimes left an indelible mark on the 20th century, with the devastating impact of World War II underscoring the perilous nature of unchecked fascist ideologies.

In summation, fascism emerges as a political ideology marked by authoritarian control, fervent nationalism, and dictatorial dominance. Rooted in responses to societal unrest, it champions hyper-nationalism, centralized power, and the suppression of dissent. Rejecting liberal democracy, embracing corporatist economic models, aversion to pluralism, and reliance on propaganda characterize fascist regimes. Understanding fascism becomes paramount for safeguarding democratic values and discerning the warning signs of authoritarianism.

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Free Political Ideology Essay Sample

Political ideology can be defined as a set of rules, regulations, values or beliefs that are held by a particular individual or group of individuals that defines or rather sets the standards on how the society should behave and present a guideline for a certain social order. With this in mind, it is therefore important to state that every person in the society belongs or holds in his or her life some form of ideologies (political) whose base defines the way he or she desires to view the society as a whole, thus meeting their expectations of in the society. There are different political ideologies that exist across the globe. However, the most common political ideologies that are well known in the contemporary society are liberalism and conservatism. Notably, most people in the current world belong either to conservatism or liberalism. Thus, as an individual, I belong to middle conservatism.

Consequently, there are general issues that are considered as important when one holds the conservative political ideology. To begin with, conservatism promotes the existence of traditional social institutions with a minimal support for changes in these institutions. As a result, conservatism argues that instead of imposing drastic or abrupt changes on social structures, this should be done gradually (Vincent 56). It is also important to note that there are various forms of conservatism that have been exhibited in the society. More so, whereas different types of conservatism are similar in character, they have variant area of focus. In other words, whereas they propose that the society should maintain traditional structures, they are persistent in certain areas than in others. For instance, some forms of conservatism focus more on religion than on any other area of social perspectives.

As a middle conservative, there are certain values that I believe are most important in the society. Among the first values that are important in the society include the power of choice and equality. Whereas there are many instances in which individuals in the society cannot be equal in any way, this does not eliminate the need to promote equality in the society. As a result, some of the values that promote equality that should be encouraged include the creation of a society where all people are given an equal access to life opportunities such education and employment (Krugman 2010). Equally, there should be a promotion of equal treatment of different races in the society, without any race being subjected to special treatment while ignoring the other race. Looking at it from another perspective, people in the society should be treated with equality by the rule of law. In this respect, there should be no one in the society who is treated with a certain scale of the rule of law while the other is treated otherwise.

Another conservative value that is promoted in the society is the power of choice. Different societies across the globe have continued to face a lot of challenges in regard to how people should make their choices in the society. However, humanity should recognize the power that lies in making of choices in the society (Gray 2010). With this in mind, whereas the government is an important part of the society, it should not in any way coerce its decisions on its citizens. Instead, the government should lay down the necessary policies and allow people to make their own choices without being influenced in any way. However, in as much as this should be the case, individuals need to be reminded on the consequences of making wrong choices in their daily lives. Some of these choices include a warped future and punishment from the existing government.

The issue of conservatism has continued to play an important in the US politics. In reference to this point, the question of taxes in the United States has caused a lot of contention between conservatives and liberals. According to the New York Times' Krugman (2010), there is a push by the Republicans who are generally conservatives and some conservative Democrats to maintain the Bush administration tax policies that benefit the middle class in the American society and thus promote equality by lowering the margin between the rich and the middle class. Whereas there has been an outcry from other quotas of the American government in regard to maintaining these tax cuts due to their cost to budget deficits, the proponents of these tax cuts are adamant and unwilling to change.

On the other hand, the freedom of choice is an important aspect of the conservatism. In line with this, one of the issue that has raised a lot of arguments in the recent times in the United States regards the health care financial system, whereby the government have been working on getting a government-supported healthcare system instead of allowing Americans to make their own choices in regard to what they want for themselves in terms of healthcare. According to Gray (2010), the American Legislative Exchange Council's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act ensures a person's right to pay directly for medical care thus enabling Americans to make their own choices. Note that American Legislative Exchange Council is a conservative body.

In summation, it can be argued that conservatism entail the ability of the society to maintain traditional societal structures as opposed to embracing drastic and abrupt changes in these structures. On the other hand, conservatism promotes the power of choice whereby a person or the society as a whole embraces the ability to make a choice rather than being forced to accept certain issues in the society. In addition to this, conservatism also encourages equality, with an inclination towards equality in opportunities and exercising of the rule of law. Following these points, it can be concluded that conservatism plays an important role in the American society.

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I was surprised by the political ideology I belong to after going through the study. I subscribe to liberalism ideologies for my political welfare. Liberalism is one of the ideologies that call for individual freedom. The reason why the ideology was inspiring and influential is because of the belief in individualism. An individual is more valued than the society he/she lives in. He/she forms the basic unit of a community. This essay discusses liberalism in totality.

Liberalism came into being during the French revolution between the years 1789 and 1799 . The traditional laws and monarchy rule in the church were changed due to the struggle by the public to make loosen the rules. Therefore, individuals would make their own decision in regards to economic and political welfare. My future prospects for political ideologies include improving equality and freedom for individuals living in the community.  A society that builds upon individual freedom facilitates contribution from citizens who participate through various platforms prevalent in the country. In addition, citizens will make rational decisions based on their own understanding and choice of the right candidate.

The percentage of adults aligned to liberalism will increase in the future . The community is now becoming more sensitive to individual freedom. This ideology will satisfy their desires. They will eventually become followers of this political idea.  The political class is deemed to experience an increased population. Young people aged between eighteen years and forty years old are the main voters and believe in liberalization. In addition, the world is becoming small due to the liberalization of the economy and political regions. Globalization has changed the way things were done in the world. The new system has brought about new ways of dealing with economic and social issues. The system is characterized by economic, social, and political freedom. Moreover, an ideal democracy is achieved through globalization. Liberalized economies experience low government interference and reduced restrictions to investors. Thus, a country benefits from increased employment opportunities as well as increased revenues. This gives a country the command power to rule over low developed countries. Therefore, a political party that supports liberalization is deemed to win the support of the growing youthful population in the United States (Noel, 2012).

This ideological group is influential to the political parties as well as the country’s elections. First, politics affects the growth and development of a liberal society. This is because politician supports the agendas of this society. Thus, reinforces efforts by the group to attain an ideal society.  Therefore, a political party must align its outfits to the group agenda and aspirations to gain support for its election into the position of leadership. Groups withdraw support from the political wing if their agenda and social issues are not intertwined in the party’s manifesto. This insinuates that leaders should be very careful when structuring a manifesto to include group issues. Elections are based on massive support for a party’s ideology. Therefore, the outcome of the next election will be based solely on political ideologies (McCullough, 2010).

In conclusion, political ideologies affect the way people behave and handle various issues as they arise. Society adopts ideologies based on the benefits they derive from them. Therefore, ideologies that do not reflect or represent people’s desires and expectations garner low support from voters. Political skills and development go hand in hand with the growth of an ideology that affects a community’s way of thinking as well as acting or reacting to social issues.

McCullough, H. B. (2010).  Political ideologies  (2nd ed.). Don Mills: Oxford University Press.

Noel, H. (2012). Ideological Parties and Polarization.  Political Ideologies and Political Parties in

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Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Political Ideology — Personal Political Ideology Of Republican Party

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Personal Political Ideology of Republican Party

  • Categories: Political Ideology Political Participation Republican Party

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Words: 612 |

Published: May 31, 2021

Words: 612 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Works Cited

  • Abrajano, M. A., & Alvarez, R. M. (2010). Mobilization, participation, and democracy in America. American Journal of Political Science, 54(3), 685-705.
  • Conover, P. J., & Searing, D. D. (2005). The elusive ideal of ideological neutrality in political journalism. The Journal of Politics, 67(2), 538-560.
  • Greenberg, A. (2013). Influence of parents' political ideologies on college students' political ideologies and party affiliations. College Student Journal, 47(2), 280-294.
  • Jost, J. T., Federico, C. M., & Napier, J. L. (2009). Political ideology: Its structure, functions, and elective affinities. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 307-337.
  • Kinder, D. R., & Sears, D. O. (1985). Public opinion and political action. American Political Science Review, 79(1), 1-15.
  • Mason, L. (2018). Uncivil agreement: How politics became our identity. University of Chicago Press.
  • Prior, M. (2013). Media and political polarization. Annual Review of Political Science, 16, 101-127.
  • Sides, J., & Citrin, J. (2007). European opinion about immigration: The role of identities, interests, and information. British Journal of Political Science, 37(3), 477-504.
  • Zaller, J. (1992). The nature and origins of mass opinion. Cambridge University Press.
  • Zuckerman, A. S., & Dalton, R. J. (1990). A theory of political party formation. American Journal of Political Science, 34(3), 565-598.

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Related Essays on Political Ideology

Communism and fascism are two political ideologies that have shaped the course of history in the 20th century. While they may appear to be polar opposites, they share several similarities in their methods of governance and [...]

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example of political ideology essay

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  1. Political Ideologies

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  2. Ideology: an Essay in Definition

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  1. Free Political Ideologies Essay Examples & Topics

    Free Political Ideologies Essay Examples & Topics. A political ideology essay can be a struggle to write. It is especially the case if you are not a big fan of politics. So, let's begin with the basic terms. You will definitely need them to complete such an assignment. First and foremost, ideology is a set of collectively held ideas and beliefs.

  2. Analysis Of My Political Ideology: [Essay Example], 756 words

    Analysis of My Political Ideology. I was born in New Orleans, LA. I grew up in Lewisville, TX because of Hurricane Katrina. Well the state of Texas has traditionally been more republican since the 1980's Ronald Reagan era. The election of Ronald Reagan changed the electoral map from blue to red.

  3. Political Ideology Essay

    A political ideology is what a person, interest group, or social class's opinion of government. For a political scientist, it is important to know one's political ideology because it can reflect one's thoughts on the political theory and policy (Rosenberg, 691). The result of my ideology quiz is that I'm a New Era Enterprisers, which is ...

  4. ≡Essays on Political Ideology. Free Examples of Research Paper Topics

    My Political Ideology in Terms of Texas Political Culture. 4 pages / 1814 words. Introduction The Purpose of this essay is to explain my political ideology and assess it in the terms of Texas political culture and the policies it produces. This essay is also for those who have a limited understanding to no understanding of Texas politics and...

  5. 11.4 Political Ideologies

    Discuss distributive justice within political ideologies. ... This approach creates opportunities for each person to pursue what they need to live a flourishing life. An example of the capability approach is basic income, in which a city, state, or country might combat poverty by awarding everyone below a certain income level $1,000 per month ...

  6. Essay on Political Ideology

    A political ideology is a set of ideas about how a country should be run. Think of it like a game plan for a team, but instead of playing a sport, it's about leading a country. This plan includes thoughts on what is most important for a country, like freedom, equality, or tradition, and how the government should help achieve these goals.

  7. Political ideology in the USA: [Essay Example], 535 words

    Political Ideology in The USA. Political ideology can be defined as a set of rules, regulations, values or beliefs held by an individual or group of individuals in particular that define or establish norms rather than how society behaves and provides evidence of some social order. With this in mind, it is important to emphasize that each person ...

  8. Political Ideologies Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

    Political Ideologies Essay. Ideologies are systems of ideas that shape people's thoughts and actions with regard to many things, including nationality, race, the role and function of government, property and class divisions, the relations between men and women, human responsibility for the natural environment, and more.

  9. Essay on Political Ideology

    Essay on Political Ideology. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Upon carefully analyzing and critiquing the six main parties' policies and promises for Canada's upcoming 2019 election, I have come to the decision to vote for the New ...

  10. How to answer the 24 Mark Ideologies Question (Edexcel)

    What is the Golden Rule in Ideologies Essays? ... Current political examples are useful to use to illustrate the ideology in action and is rewardable as AO1. For example, Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng's economic policies are a good example of a Neo-Liberal economic policy. However, this is not a study of political parties so this should only ...

  11. 18 Examples of a Political Ideology

    A political ideology is a foundational political belief. The following are examples of common political ideologies that underlie most political parties, movements and views. Anarchism Anarchism is the rejection of all involuntary power structures and authority. This would give people the right to opt out of societies and freely form their own ...

  12. Sample Essay On Political Ideology

    Many people whose political ideology is 'next generation left' would describe themselves as leaning towards the Democratic Party, though few consider themselves to be very strong Democrats. In terms of political socialisation, many of my friends, family and teachers helped influence my political ideology. A lot of my friends share the same ...

  13. Free My Political Ideology Essay Examples

    Words: 500. Published: 12/03/2020. I would describe my political ideology as social liberal democrat if there is such an ideology. This is based on the fact that, on the one hand, I am socially liberal. I believe that there is a role for the government in addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, healthcare and education.

  14. Fascism Demystified: Decoding an Authoritarian Ideology

    Essay Example: This exploration delves into the intricate facets of fascism, breaking down its definition into accessible terms for a comprehensive understanding of this intricate political ideology. Fundamentally, fascism surfaces as a socio-political system birthed in the early 20th century. Writing Service; Essay Samples.

  15. Politzilla: Political Science Essay Examples

    Political Science Essay Examples. Draw inspiration from your predecessors. Browse our free database of political science essays and research reports. The complexity of our essay examples varies, but all have been checked for accuracy. Our database items have been written by the school, college, and university students.

  16. A Comparison Of Political Philosophy And Political Ideology : [Essay

    The Meaning of Political Philosophy and Political Ideology. Political philosophy is an old study that can be traced back to ancient Greece. Studies on political philosophy were conducted by highly regarded philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato. According to M.Faure (2008:3), " the object of political philosophy is to clarify explicitly ...

  17. Political Ideology

    Paper Type: 650 Word Essay Examples. Populism and progressivism were two big movements that caused major transformation in the history of the United States. Both movements participated in creating reforms in order to help making the overall conditions of the United States better in variety of domains.

  18. Political Ideology Essay Example

    Free Political Ideology Essay Sample. Political ideology can be defined as a set of rules, regulations, values or beliefs that are held by a particular individual or group of individuals that defines or rather sets the standards on how the society should behave and present a guideline for a certain social order.

  19. Higher politics- political ideologies essay (20 marks) Flashcards

    Higher politics- political ideologies essay (20 marks) The political ideologies I have studied are socialism and conservatism. Conservatism is an ideology characterised by support for tradition, duty, authority and property. This contrasts with socialism which is an ideology characterised by the belief in community, cooperation, equality and ...

  20. Political ideology and police reform: [Essay Example], 613 words

    Political Ideology and Reform Outcomes. The impact of political ideology on police reform efforts extends beyond the formulation of policies and implementation strategies. It also influences the outcomes and effectiveness of these initiatives. Policymakers must contend with the political realities of their respective contexts, often leading to ...

  21. Sample Essay on Political Ideology

    Liberalism is one of the ideologies that call for individual freedom. The reason why the ideology was inspiring and influential is because of the belief in individualism. An individual is more valued than the society he/she lives in. He/she forms the basic unit of a community. This essay discusses liberalism in totality.

  22. Personal Political Ideology of Republican Party

    American Journal of Political Science, 54(3), 685-705. Conover, P. J., & Searing, D. D. (2005). The elusive ideal of ideological neutrality in political journalism. The Journal of Politics, 67(2), 538-560. Greenberg, A. (2013). Influence of parents' political ideologies on college students' political ideologies and party affiliations.