ideologies chap 3 pols
Political Philosophy
Philosophy: The study of questions about existence and knowledge, ethics, justice, and morality based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.
Political Philosophy: An inquiry into the nature of politics; seeks an understanding of all things political.
Descriptive and Prescriptive: Political philosophy describes the political world as it is while prescribing how it ought to be.
Real-World Links
There is always a connection between political philosophy and real-world politics.
Political philosophies are influenced by their historical context, as seen in the works of Plato, Marx, and Hobbes.
Political philosophy addresses empirical instances of politics as well as idealized visions of the best possible society.
History of Political Thought
The Greeks/Classical: Focuses on justice, stability, and order regarding the relationship between state and individuals (e.g., Plato and Aristotle).
Medieval Philosophy: The intersection of political life and Christian teachings, particularly in the writings of Thomas Aquinas.
Renaissance Thought: A shift to a secular and non-religious approach to politics with figures like Machiavelli and Hobbes.
Modern Political Thought: Engages in diverse debates such as critiques of capitalism, the defense of liberty and tolerance, and alternatives regarding government and production (e.g., Smith, Mill, Marx).
Social Constructivism
Definition: A sociological and political meta-theory explaining the interactions between individual agents, their social groups, and their environment.
Key Questions: Can we have objective truth? Is knowledge inherently influenced by the way we acquire it?
Understanding Political Life: Combines philosophical inquiry with the exploration of social dynamics.
Core Questions of Political Philosophy
Are humans naturally good or bad?
Should community interests supersede individual rights?
What ought to be the extent of individual liberties within society?
Under what conditions is government action legitimate?
What is the condition of life in the absence of government?
How should societal wealth be fairly distributed?
Ideology
Definition: A set/system of interrelated ideas and beliefs forming the basis of a political or economic system guiding political action and leadership.
Ideologies are both descriptive and prescriptive in nature.
They resemble religion in being non-provable and often contested.
Steger & James's Definition: "Ideologies are patterned clusters of normatively imbued ideas and concepts… helping people navigate their political universe."
Components and Themes of Ideologies
Images: Impressions of reality.
Attitudes: Assumptions based on these images.
Values: Standard normative views of the world.
Beliefs: Faith in these values.
Overall Definition of Ideology: A set of beliefs informing political action.
Development and Characteristics of Political Ideologies
Political ideologies are linked to the European Enlightenment, capitalism's growth, and the Industrial Revolution.
Definition of Political Ideology: A package of interrelated ideas and beliefs about government, society, and human nature that inspire political action.
Ideologies provide visions of what the world should be and suggest means to achieve these visions.
The propagation of European-developed ideologies globally often occurs with cultural adaptations.
Public policy debates often showcase ideological differences.
Left and Right Political Spectrum
Origin: Terms come from the seating arrangement of the French National Assembly post-French Revolution (1789).
Supporters of the old order (right) vs. opponents of monarch authority (left).
Contemporary Usage: The left emphasizes equality, while the right views inequality as natural.
Complexity of Ideologies: Ideologies are internally pluralistic, contested, complex, and overlapping (Festenstein & Kenny, 2005).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ideologies
Negative Aspects:
Dogmatism
Simplistic views
Justifications for unethical actions
Positive Aspects:
Provide coherence, consistency, and direction for political thinking and actions.
Introduce diverse conceptions of the common good and pathways for its attainment.
Ideology vs Political Thought/Philosophy
Key Difference: Ideologies emerge from particular political philosophies and inform real-world actions that can drive progress, conflict, or repression.
Role of Ideologies: They call for action, while political philosophy seeks to analyze and understand political phenomena.
Summary of Ideology
A set of beliefs guiding a political or economic system, heavily shaped by Enlightenment thought.
Describe actions and mirror historical contexts.
Comprised of interrelated ideas and beliefs; comparable to religion in being based on fundamental principles and inciting various opinions and conflicts.
Ideologies remain contested and debated.
Class Activity/Bonus Assignment
Each group discusses a political ideology:
Provide a brief description including key principles, historical context, and notable figures.
Analyze the ideology's view on human nature and morality.
Discuss strengths and weaknesses.
Address two issues from the following list:
Government regulation of social media.
Universal basic income.
Climate change and environmental policy.
Gender and identity rights (e.g., trans rights, same-sex marriage).
Access to Healthcare.
Liberalism
Emphasis: Individual freedom, derived from the belief in the inherent human dignity and worth.
Historical Context: Developed in opposition to arbitrary rulers, addressing restrictions on liberty and freedom.
Concerns: Need for government while being cautious of potential abuses of power.
Core Values of Liberalism
Individuals are the foundational societal unit deserving of attention.
Humans are rational and self-interested.
Self-determination: The ability to make free choices without coercion, balanced with the well-being of others.
Toleration: Acceptance of individuals and behaviors minority disapproves.
Strands of Liberalism
Classical Liberalism: Based on John Locke's ideas; sees government's primary role as defending life, liberty, and property while supporting a free market.
Reform Liberalism: Advocates for individual freedom but recognizes the need for governmental action to eliminate barriers to development (John Rawls).
Neo-liberalism: Promotes competition, entrepreneurship, and personal responsibility while opposing government economic intervention.
Conservatism
Focus: Values order and community stability over individual rights.
Human Nature View: Sees humans as imperfect, advocating for respect toward traditional wisdom.
Conservatives usually support strong governance to maintain order and societal stability, often favoring traditional moral values to shield society from decline.
The New Right in Conservatism
Emerged in the 1970s, merging free market economics with limited government and traditional moral values.
Social Conservatives: Concentrate on moral values rooted in tradition and religion.
Distinct from traditional conservatism due to allegiance to free-market principles and a populist, sometimes critical, stance toward government.
Socialism
Development: Emerged as a response to the injustices of early capitalism.
Human Nature: Asserts humans are inherently social and that capitalism disrupts cooperative tendencies.
Diversity within Socialism: Varied perspectives exist on the ideal societal structure and pathways to achieve it.
Socialism: Marxism & Communism
Marx & Engels Critique: Propose that capitalism is fundamentally flawed due to historical materialism and class conflicts.
Outcome of Class Struggle: Tensions between the working class (proletariat) and bourgeoisie will lead to revolutionary changes.
Post-Revolution Vision: Envision a society without private ownership, transitioning into collective ownership of resources.
Socialism: Social Democracy
Concept: Promotes democratic means to transition toward socialism while maintaining democratic structures.
Advocates for public ownership of essential industries, cooperative enterprises, and workers' rights.
Ideas contributed significantly to the establishment of welfare states in various countries.
Anarchism
Definition: Views the state as a primary source of oppression, aspiring towards a cooperative society without government.
Socialist Anarchism: Advocates for the abolition of the state and private property through direct action.
Relevance: Holds significance within contemporary anti-globalization movements.
Fascism
Definition: An ideology that merges strong nationalism with beliefs in natural inequality, opposing liberal democracy and communism.
Mindset: Rejected Enlightenment rationality; relies on emotion-driven mobilization and propaganda.
Goals: Envisions creating a new societal order, blending modernity with idealized historical narratives.
The Contemporary Significance of Fascism & the Radical Right
Historical Context: Usually associated with Mussolini and Hitler yet has re-emerged in various forms globally.
Modern Movements: Radical right-wing parties exploit nationalism and anti-immigration sentiments to bolster support.
Nationalism
Emergence: Developed in the late 18th century, motivated by the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars.
Defining Features: Based on shared identities among groups (ethnic, religious, cultural) creating an 'us vs. them' mentality.
Economic Nationalism: Aims to enhance state strength through economic control and ownership.
Objectives of Nationalism
Aims for both separation and the establishment of political structures that nurture national prosperity and cultural identity.
National self-determination: Central to nationalist ideology.
Xenophobia: Represents a radical and extreme iteration of nationalism.
Feminism
Perspective: Analyzes society as a patriarchal construct, seeking genuine independence and equality for women.
Goals: Achieving equal rights and challenging traditional constraining roles for women in domestic life.
Patriarchy: Defined as a sociopolitical system where men hold power and primarily dictate women's societal roles.
Challenges to Feminism
Evident Issues: Even with legal equality, systemic inequalities persist.
Women face lower earnings compared to men.
Women undertake more domestic responsibilities.
Women are less represented in leadership roles.
Feminist Contributions: Promotes values typically associated with women (nurturing, caring) to enrich political discourse.
Feminist Perspectives
Diversity in Feminism: Contemporary feminism encompasses various interpretations generally categorized as:
Liberal Feminism
Socialist Feminism
Radical Feminism
Statistical Representation of Women in Politics (2012)
Rwanda: 56.3%
Sweden: 44.7%
Germany: 32.9%
France: 26.9%
UK: 22.3%
China: 21.3%
US: 16.8%
Japan: 10.8%
Fundamentalism
Definition: A revival of rigid religious beliefs striving to adhere strictly to the fundamental principles of faith.
Pursuit: Seeks to create or restore a purer form of their religion, often critical of secular ideas.
Morality Concerns: Fundamentalists engage deeply with issues of morality, particularly regarding sexual behavior and family structures.
Political Doctrine: Fundamentalism has gained traction as a formidable political ideology.
Islamism and Radical Islam
Definition: Terms describing movements advocating for implementing Islamic values across all societal facets, including governance.
Radical Islamism: Militant factions that seek to expel perceived foreign corrupt influences and establish a pure Islamic state adhering to sharia law.
Historical Context: Factors contributing to radical Islamist ideologies include:
Humiliation from colonial occupations.
Adoption of Western ideas by authoritarian regimes.
Unsuccessful modernization efforts.