POLITICAL IDEOLOGY NOTES
Political Ideology is a concept that political opinions and additives are linked
together in a coherent interconnected system. Ideology has been theorised as
particularly important for a well-functioning democracy. Politically
knowledgeable and competent citizens are needed to provide coherent political
inputs, to set public policy. If citizens hold over changing attitudes that lack any
overall structure to them, it becomes difficult for representatives to interpret the
demands and wants of citizens. Democracy by and for the people quickly
becomes undermined if representatives rely on their own opinions, because they
cannot interpret the public’s opinion. Despite its centrality, traditional versions of
textbook democracy, it has been observed that a large number of people; voters;
participants in the electoral process are distinctly ideological. Converse (1964)
pointed unequivocally to this conclusion. Except for political elites and the most
politically involved citizens, Converse claimed that a vast majority of the public
had ideological innocence.
During the past several decades, the idea of a ‘non-ideological’ public has been
contested by others suggesting that ideology may not in fact be beyond the grass
of average people. However, even in the face of new evidence, the level of
ideological thinking among the public remains contested. Recent research
suggests that the most fruitful way forward is not to continue re-hashing the
current arguments, but to reconsider the framing of the debate. This new work
suggests 2 major ideas:
1. That attitudes in public could be based on political values and principles,
rather than ideology.
2. That ideology is being incorrectly conceptualised and measured, because
it is treated as unidimensional rather than multi-dimensional.
The first problem confronting any discussion of the nature of ideology is that
there is no settled or agreed definition of the term only a collection of rival
definitions. As David Mc Lellan (1955) commented, “Ideology is the most
illusive concept, in the whole of the social sciences”. Few political terms have
been a subject of such deep and impassionate conversely. This has occurred for
two reasons. In the first place, as all concepts of ideology acknowledge a link
between theory and practice, the term uncovers highly contentious debates about
the role of ideas in politics and the relationship between the theories on the one
hand, and material life or political conduct on the other. Secondly, the concept of
ideology has not been able to stand apart from the ongoing struggle between and
among political ideologies. For much of its history the terminology has been used
as political weapon, a device with which to condemn or criticize a set of rival
ideas or belief systems. Not until the 2nd half of the 20th century was a neutral and
apparently objective concept of ideology widely employed and even the,
disagreement persisted over the social role and political significance of ideology.
Among the meanings that have been attached to ideology are the following:
1. A political belief system
2. An action-oriented set of political ideas
3. The ideas of the ruling class
4. The world view of a particular social class or social group
5. Political ideas that embody class or social interest
6. Ideas that propagate false consciousness among the exploited or oppressed
7. Ideas that situate the individual within a social context and generate a
sense of collective belonging legitimize a political system or regime.
8. An all-embracing political doctrine that claims a monopoly of the truth
9. An abstract and highly systematic set of political ideas
Ideologies provide a perspective or lens through which the world is understood
and explained. People do not see the world as it is, but only as they expect it to
be. In other words, they see it through a veil of engrained believes, opinions and
assumption whether consciously or unconsciously, everyone subscribes to a set
of political vales and beliefs, that guide their behaviour and influences their
conduct. Political ideas and ideologies thus set goals that inspire political
activism.
Political Ideologies help to shape the nature of the political systems; systems of
government vary considerably throughout the world and are always associated
with particular values or principles. Absolute monarchy was based on deeply
established religious ideas, Political systems in most contemporary western
countries are founded on a set of Liberal Democratic principles. Western states
are typically founded on a commitment to limited and constitutional government
as well as the belief that the government should be represented. Finally political
ideas and ideologies can act as a form of social cement, Providing social groups
Indeed whole societies with a set of unifying beliefs and values. Ideologies have
commonly been associated with Particular social classes, Liberalism with the
middle class, Conservatism with landed aristocracy and Socialism with the
working class and so on. Nevertheless, a unifying set of political ideas and values
can develop naturally within a society or it can be enforced from above in an
attempt to manufacture obedience and exercise control. The clearest example of
such ideologies has been found in Fascist, Communist and Religious fundamental
regimes.
