5: Ideology

Question 1

What is ideology? How does it relate to leaders?

Answer 1

Set/system of ideas that form basis of political and economic system, differs based on traditions.

Offers guidance for leaders.

Question 2

What are three factors that produce ideologies?

Answer 2

Time: enriches, orients.

Society: events, structural change.

Crisis: shocks to the system.

Question 3

What is meant by “zeitgeist”?

Answer 3

Spirit of the times, readiness to embrace change.

Question 4

What is society’s major ideology?

Answer 4

Interests of “class.”

Question 5

What were conservative, liberalist, and socialist ideologies in 19th century Europe?

Answer 5

Conservative ideologies: interests of landed aristocracy losing power as result of modernization.

Liberalism: interests of rising middle class.

Socialism: interests of all classes.

Question 6

Why do crises influence ideology?

Answer 6

Create powerful demand for new ideas, people commit to ideas more strongly than in normal times.

Question 7

Liberalism came as a reaction to medieval society. What three things did it react to in particular?

Answer 7

Religious conformity.

Ascribed status (proposed a more meritocractic orient).

Feudalism: people work and fight for nobles, who gave protection and use of land in return.

Question 8

They key component of liberalism is _____.

Answer 8

Rights.

Question 9

What four rights does liberalism emphasize?

Answer 9

Against the state.

To not be interfered with by government.

Natural: human condition innately precious, irreplaceable.

Negative rights: freedom from interference; state cannot put obstacles, can remove if they do.

Question 10

In liberalism, what is the individual in a societal sense?

Answer 10

The basis of political, economic, and social power.

Question 11

According to liberalism, political power does not come from the rule of _____, but from the will of the _____.

Answer 11

Stronger; people.

Question 12

What are the two primary features of liberal institutions?

Answer 12

Limited government: politics out of religion, vice versa; night-watchman state (does only what set out to do).

Capitalism: private voluntary contract, state should not interfere.

Question 13

Three figures of liberal thought are Hobbes, Locke, and Stuart Mill. What are their perspectives?

Answer 13

Hobbes: without government, war among everyone; in order to retain rights, give them to sovereign.

Locke: state of natural not competitive, but inconvenient; proposes dispersed government.

Stuart Mill: “On Liberty,” importance of freedom of speech.

Question 14

Classical liberalism is within the schools of thought of which two figures?

Answer 14

Locke, Stuart Mill.

Question 15

American liberalism derived from _____, whereas British liberalism follows _____.

Answer 15

Locke; 19th century.

Question 16

According to Locke, what is the social contract? What happens when it is breached?

Answer 16

Government comes about through agreement of free individuals that rights are best protected by associating with one another.

If contract breached, people have right to rebel.

Question 17

List four features of liberalism.

Answer 17

Reason (rationality).

Self-interest (competition).

Self-determination.

Equality.

Question 18

List five principles of liberalism.

Answer 18

Secularism.

Universalism.

Progress.

Equality.

Rationality (scientific empiricism).

Question 19

Conservatism’s political meaning began after what?

Answer 19

French Revolution.

Question 20

According to conservatism, what is the idea of the “organic society”?

Answer 20

Idea that culture, tradition, customs are of utmost importance.

Question 21

According to Burke, nobody has a right to _____ society, and ____ rights are simply a fervor for rights.

Answer 21

Uproot; natural.

Question 22

What are the three Cs of conservatism?

Answer 22

Continuity: what is done has consequence after.

Caution: change has to be cautious.

Context: change should be within context of particular society.

Question 23

What were Burke’s thoughts towards the social contract?

Answer 23

Partnership of which dead, living, future generations are a party.

Question 24

According to conservatism, wisdom is contained in what?

Answer 24

Customs and traditions.

Question 25

Conservatism is not resistant to change, but it believes what must be slow and contained?

Answer 25

Pace and extent.

Question 26

Conservatism sees liberalism as what?

Answer 26

Atomistic (individualistic) society rather than organic (communitarian) one.

Question 27

Conservatism is diffident of people’s nature. Why is this?

Answer 27

People not as ‘good’ as liberals think.

Question 28

Modern American conservatism takes after what ideologies?

Answer 28

Classical liberalism and social conservatism.

Question 29

List four elements within modern American conservatism.

Answer 29

Fiscal conservatism.

Free market or economic liberalism (capitalism).

Small government.

American states’ rights.

Question 30

Burke believed in _____ rather than innovation.

Answer 30

Reform.

Question 31

What are three key elements to socialism?

Answer 31

Challenge to social and economic conditions.

Humans by nature part of society.

Focus on the group.

Question 32

Socialism believed what ought to be controlled?

Answer 32

Production, distribution and delivery of SOCIAL goods (centralization/planning).

Question 33

List three traits of socialism.

Answer 33

Government planning/intervention.

Social “ownership” of the means of production, distribution, delivery.

Equality of condition (or result).

Question 34

Marxism was founded upon what?

Answer 34

Class struggles.

Question 35

Define the two classes within Marxism.

Answer 35

Bourgeoisie: capitalist class, the wealthy, who own most of the means of production.

Proletariat: working class, including farmers and low-skilled factory workers. Do not own any means of production.

Question 36

In Marxist society, there are two parts. Define them.

Answer 36

Base: comprises forces and relations of production, into which people enter to produce necessities and amenities of life.

Superstructure: everything not do with production (art, family, culture, etc.), to influence consciousness of working class.

Question 37

According to Marxism, what is “false consciousness”?

Answer 37

People’s inability to recognize inequality, oppression, exploitation in capitalist society because of the prevalence of views that naturalize and legitimize existence of social classes.