Task 2 - POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES Flashcards
- What is an ideology?
Set of ideas that form the baseground and organize political action
- Meta-ideologies
Ideas overlap and form bigger ideas rather than being multiple single ones
- Classical Ideological Traditions. Name the 3
- Liberalism
- Conservatism
- Socialism
- Why have they mantained their relevance?
Ability to reinvent themselves
2.1 LIBERALISM: Name 2 core principles
- Individualism
- Liberty
2.1 Individualism
- Individual in the centre
- Construction of a society in which individual can develop the best evrsion of themselves
- Equality of opportunity: All individuals as equals
- Morally neutral: Every individual can make their own moral decision
2.1 Liberty
- Top priority
- Arises from desire and right to behave the way they please
- Everyone should enjoy liberty to the extent that does not harm others
2.1 How did liberalism evolve? What were the main characteristics during each period?
First purely economic (classical and industrial)
- Condemns all forms of state intervention
- Linked with the invisible hand
From 19th century onwards : Social capitalism
- Favored welfare reforms and economic intervention more
2.1 Modern liberalism. Characteristics
- More sympathetic towards state intervention
- Big government
- Recognition that industrial cap generated forms of injustice
- Keynes insight
2.1 Neoliberalism. Characteristics
- Centre pillars: Market and individual
- Goal: No state intervention
- Unregulated market capitalism
- ‘nanny state’: Culture of dependence undermines freedom
- Individual responsibility
- Entrepreneuralism
2.2 Conservatism. Central themes
- Tradition
- Pragmatism
2.2 Tradition
- Respect for established virtues
- Trust in old institutions
- Reflects accumulated wisdom of past
- Sense of historical belonging
2.2 Pragmatism
- Abstract principles mistrusted
- Reliance of experience, history
- No ideology -> “attitude of mind”
2.2 CONSERVATISM. Characteristics
- Human imperfection (pessimism)
Corrupt
Roots for crime -> Strong state, strict laws and penalties - Organicism
Society = living entity
Community as more than individuals
Shared values and common culture - Hierarchy
Essential and not root for conflict (Society bound my mutual obligations and duties) - Authority
Comes from above
Ensures cohesion - Property
Sense of what is theirs
Ability to reflect themselves from outside
2.2 Paternalistic conservatism
- Consistent with: Organicism, hierarchy and duty
- Blend of market competition and gov regulation (pragmatic approach to econ policy
- One nation
2.2 The New Right
-> departure in conservative thought amounting to a counter-revolution against state intervention and the spread of liberal/progressive social values
- traced to keynes failure
2.2 Neoconservatism
- Restore authority
Guarantees social stability and generate discipline and respect - Traditional values: Family, region and nation
- Generation of cohesion and civilization
- Enemy: Permissiveness
- Scepticism of multiculturalism
Inherently conflict-ridden
2.3 SOCIALISM. Name 2 Core principles and main goal
- Community
- Equality (as a value)
- Goal: Eradication/reduction of of econ and social inequalities
2.3 Community
- Humans linked by existence of a common humanity
- Individual identity coined by being part of groups
- Brotherhood:Cooperation and collectivism
2.3 Equality
- As opposed to equality of opportunity
- Essential guarantee of cohesion and social stability
- Material benefits distributed on basis of NEED (satisfaction of basic needs)
2.3. Evolution of socialism (3 periods)
- Origins
- As reaction against industrial capitalism
- Linked to working class
- Goal: Abolish capitalist economy, replace it w socialist society - From late 19th c
- Reformist socialist tradiiton
- Gradual integration of working classes into capitalist society
Improvement of wages and conditions - During much of 20th c
- 2 rival camps:
Revolutionary socialists: Communists
Reformist socialists: Embraced social democracy, fundamentalist principles (common ownership, central planning, redistribution
2.3.1 Social democracy
- Balance btw market and state, individual and community
- Compromise (acceptance of capitalism)
- Concern for the underdog
- Welfarism, redistribution and social injustice (humanize capitalism through state intervention)
2.3.2 Marxism
2.3.3 Other ideological traditions
Anarchism
Fascism
Feminism
Green ideology
Cosmopolitanism
Populism
2.3.3 Anarchism
- law and gov are not indispensable
- Anti-capitalist, anti-globalization
- Belief: Political authority is evil and unnecessary
- Free individuals should manage own affairs
- Voluntary cooperation and agreement
- Free-market on steroids
2.3.3 Fascism
- Revolt against: Rationalism, progress, freedom, equality
- Struggle, leadership, power, heroism, war
- Anticharacter: Defined by what it opposes
- Unified national community
- New man: Hero motivated by duty, honour and self-sacrifice
2.3.3 Feminism. 1st Wave
- First-wave feminism
- Liberalist feminist:
Female subordination
Reformist -> Concerned with reform of public sphere
- Socialist feminism:
Highlight link btw subordination and capitalist mode of production
Female: Confined to family or domestic life
2.3.3 Feminism. Second wave
- Radical feminism:
Gender division are most fundamental and politically significant cleavages in society
Patriarchy
Need for revolution (reconstruct personal, domestic nad family life)
Men as ‘enemy’
