The term “ideology” is derived
from a combination of two different words – “idea” and “logy”. The first one
means the sensations that we get to experience when we interact with other
people, and the second one refers to the ideas that are generated by our mind
due to these sensations. In simpler terms, we can refer to this term as a
science or system of ideas. Ideology has several types, each having its own
importance. For instance, political ideology has some types that include:
-
Liberalism
-
Conservatism
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Anarchism
Every ideology is based on some
rules and principles. Ideology
plays an imperative role in directing people toward the right track. This article will discuss one of the main types of ideologies. Keep reading to learn
about it.
What is political ideology?
Political ideology is defined as
a set of rules, ethical ideas, myths, and doctrines of a particular class, group, or institution. It sheds light on how society should be working and also
provides a base of cultural and moral values for social order. The allocation
of power is one of the biggest concerns of society and political ideology
answers this question. It mainly focuses on two important aspects – the management
of society and how this management will take place, which means the methods of
management. Apart from it, it also has a defined idea about an ideal form of
government which means an autocratic government or a democratic government.
Let us have a look at each of the
types of political
ideologies:
-
It is an ideology in which
political order is given no value. The state is considered evil and anarchists
think that the state order is against the rule of freedom and equality. They
consider the political order as a source of problems instead of considering it
as a solution. Anarchists never listen to the state order but they give utmost
importance to the natural order which is based on their own assumptions.
Thus, anarchists want a society
that is stateless and where the issues are resolved through cooperation and
understanding between individuals. This concept intersects the two traditions
which are ultra-liberal and ultra-social. Anarchism has a lot of negative
aspects as it has never become a winning ideology in history. It got great
criticism because it favors “human goodness” so much. Due to this reason,
anarchism is considered as the less significant ideology in comparison to all
other forms of ideologies. It’s an unrealistic idea as complete dependence on
human cooperation without the state being involved can never make a healthy
society.
-
This ideology refers to the
resistance to change. The ideology is set on the principle that humans need
security and that they are greedy as well as selfish. They always have a lust for
power and they are unable to deal with the complex problems of the world.
Conservatism believes in the hierarchy of all social institutions and it gives
prime importance to the property. This is due to the reason that property
provides security to people. The idea of conservatism emerged in the late
eighteenth century when society was bombarded with the pressure of nationalism,
socialism, and liberalism. This ideology sets its steps on the rule that only
authority and a shared culture can help the intellectually imperfect humans.
-
This ideology promotes full
freedom of individuals as it is set on the principle that human needs
fulfillment and freedom of work at all stages. Values like freedom, justice, tolerance,
and rationalism are the core points of this ideology. It cannot be denied that
human beings are all equal in their worth and equal opportunities should be
provided to every individual to work and enjoy their lives, but liberalism
believes that individuals should be rewarded based on their work, skills, and
talent.
It is believed that the political
tradition of the West is largely shaped by the influence of liberalism. Apart
from it, liberalism is often correlated with the industrialized West. Today, it
is considered modern to portray liberalism as a meta-ideology which means a collection
of rules on which other political debate can take place.
In a society where the ideology
of liberalism is prevalent, every business, from a software development company to larger-scale establishments, all have complete freedom.
The Basic 4 Functions Of
Ideology
It is now clear that ideology is
a set of rules that allows people to understand their position in society and
provide a strategy for social and political action. Two famous personalities
who have presented several theories on ideology were Richard Dagger and Terence
Ball. According to them, every ideology has the basic four functions but they
are performed differently for each type.
These four basic functions are:
1- Explanation
An ideology
provides a sound explanation about the conditions of economy and politics. This
explanation is provided in detail mainly in crises.
2- Evaluation
For the
evaluation of social conditions, an ideology provides a set standard. This
standard helps in understanding the cause of many things happening in society
and its good or bad impact.
3- Orientation
Ideology gives
a direction to people; it presents a preference in terms of societal issues. It
also clarifies the postion of individuals in the world.
4- Political
program
An ideology
provides a general and specific program to its followers. It sets a plan on
which political and social actions are to be taken.
With the help
of these four functions, political ideology tries to link the beliefs into
actions. Every form of ideology provides a sound vision for the political world
so that a better change can take place. It can also be said that all political
powers run for winning the competition to gain full authority so that they can
change society in a way that supports the ideology of their mind. It should be
understood that ideologies are not related to a particular religion or
scientific theory. All political ideologies are set on two main things which
are human nature and freedom. By keeping these things in mind and relating the
functions of ideology, political ideology provides a base for a good social
change.
