Political ideologies

Question 1

overview

Answer 1

political ideology is a set of beliefs to explain how society should work.

It explains how power should be used by governments and suggests policies for governments to follow in order to change society.

Some political ideologies are very broad in their outlook such as communism, fascism, nationalism and liberalism; they offer a worldview and say how society should be run. Other political ideologies are very specific in detailing policies that political parties will follow if they are in government

Question 2

Pluralist ideology

Answer 2

Pluralism is a belief that in a democracy power reflects a broad range of interests; power is spread among a variety of competing groups and no one group has a monopoly of power.

Each group may have a different ideology and there is no single dominant ideology.

However, Pluralism fails to acknowledge that there is an unequal distribution of power in society as not all groups are able to have their views represented in decision making.

Question 3

Marxist

Answer 3

Marxists believe the ideology of people reflects their social class position. In capitalist society the ruling class are able to promote the dominant ideology by distorting reality and producing a false consciousness amongst the working class. According to Althusser this dominant ideology is spread through the ideological state apparatus

Neo Marxist Gramsci developed the Marxist view of ideology and used the term hegemony to explain how one ideology (capitalism) comes to be accepted by all social classes as the one dominant ideology of society. Gramsci said the ruling class is able to project its own way of seeing the world so that those who are subordinated by it (the working class) accept it as ‘common sense’ and ‘natural

Question 4

Patriarchal ideology

Answer 4

Feminists have identified a patriarchal ideology that supports and justifies the power of men in society. This ideology is transmitted through gender role socialisation and through the influence of secondary agents of socialisation such as religion, the media and school.

Radical feminists have drawn attention to how intimate relationships can involve domination in marriage, domestic work and portrayal of pornography. According to radical feminists oppression occurs in both public life.

Radical feminists question the nature of sexuality. They claim that sexuality is socially constructed to satisfy men’s desires, for example in portraying women as passive sex objects.