liberalism conservatisms socialism and facism

political ideology

package of interrelated ideas and beliefs about government, society, the economy, and human nature that inspire and affect political action. Each ideology provides a different perspective that is used to understand and evaluate how the world actually works

enlightenment

An intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority, significantly influencing modern political ideologies.

issues with ideologies

• treating it as absolute truth

• thinking can be simple

• distorted perceptions of reality

positives with ideology

can provide some coherence, consistency, and direction to a person’s political thinking and actions.

liberalism

Human Nature - Individuals able to think and act according to reason

Key Value - Individual freedom

Political system - Liberal, representative democracy

Rights - Protect individual rights

Morality - state should not impose morality

Economy - free market w equality of opportunity

conservatism

Human Nature - humans imperfect with capacity for evil

Key Value - order, stability, social harmony

Political system - Traditional institutions

Rights - balance rights with duties

Morality - maintain traditional moral values

Economy - free market with social harmony

socialism

Human Nature - humans co-operative and social

Key Value - equality

Political system - equalitarian democracy

Rights - universal social and economic rights

Morality - equalitarianism

Economy - planned economy

fascism

Human Nature - motivated by emotion over reason

Key Value - loyalty to the nation-state

Political system - totalitarian

Rights - subordinate individual to the state

Morality - duty to obey the state and its leader

Economy - corporate state

left vs right wing

left to right —> communism, socialism, reform liberalism, classic liberalism, conservatism, facism

left is associated with pursuit of greater social and economic quality while right generally see inequality as a natural feature of human society

liberals advocate for the rule of law, which is

government should act only in accordance with established laws rather than in an arbitrary fashion, and all persons should be equally subject to the law

key features of liberalism

1) freedom and dignity

2) limited government interference in personal lives

3) follow rule of law

4) beleives in distinction between private activity and public concern

5) respects individual moral judgement

6) No religious force

7) prevent abuse through governemnt

😎 democratic

9) protection of human rights and freedoms

classic liberalism

a political ideology emphasizing individual liberties, limited government, and free markets, advocating for minimal state intervention in personal and economic affairs.

neo-liberalism

a modern form of liberalism that emphasizes free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reducing the size of government while promoting global trade and investment.

traditional conservatism vs new right

traditional -

Defends property rights

• Favors laws to punish "immoral" behavior

• Criticizes socialism and government redistribution of wealth

• Emphasizes the need to respect authority

  New Right

• Strongly advocates for pure free-market and minimal-government perspective

• Has a populist element that criticizes government and seeks more direct control by the people

• Favors devices such as referendums, initiatives, and recall to give people more control

• Believes that politicians, government officials, and judges have undermined traditional values

socialism

• Socialists view humans as social beings and criticize capitalism for emphasizing competition over cooperation, leading to inequality and undermining community.

• Socialists aim to achieve social justice by reducing inequalities and ensuring everyone has the rights and resources needed for a dignified life, often through collective ownership of the means of production.

• There are various views on how to achieve an ideal socialist society, including collective ownership, state ownership, worker-run cooperatives, and mixed economies with government regulation and public services.

marxism

Marxism is a socio-political and economic theory developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that critiques capitalism and advocates for a classless society achieved through revolutionary means. Communism, as a political ideology derived from Marxism, seeks to establish a stateless, classless society where all property is collectively owned.

Leninism

• Modifies Marxism to emphasize the need for a tightly disciplined party to lead the revolution and direct the subsequent course of revolutionary change

• Is characterized by a tight grip on society and the establishment of a totalitarian regime

communism

A political ideology based on Marxism that aims for a classless, stateless society where all means of production are owned communally and wealth is distributed according to need.

has been criticized for lack of democratic participation, human rights abuses, and economic inefficiencies

fascism

seeks to build a powerful, united, militaristic nation-state that will provide strong leadership and direction to the masses. Order, leadership, and discipline need to be strong in a world characterized by conflict and the struggle for dominance. Fascists view the idea of the common good of humanity as unrealistic. Instead, the collective good of the state, nation, or race is emphasized in fascist thought