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Running Head: WHAT IS IDEOLOGY

What is Ideology
Jhenecys Del Carmen
Southern States University
Abstract:
This paper is written and developed to study Ideology and its relevancy with politics. I
will discuss how a leader can change a whole country with just a firm believe in
ideology. This paper also includes the different types of ideologies and what they are. I
will put my own moral insight on each them and give an example that is relevant with
todays generation. A careful research has been made in this paper about Politics and
Ideologies.

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Ideology is a spacious way of relating to the world. It offers human beings the
illusion of an identity, of dignity, and of morality while making it easier to part with them.
- Vaclav Havel
What is Ideology? The word ideo means idea from Ancient Greek, logy means
the study of which basically means Ideology is a study of idea. While it is not quite the
definition, ideology does require a lot of ideas to study. Every human being has their
own opinions toward Ideologies. Whether it is of a positive note or negative, human
beings a morally inclined to have their own opinion towards it. But what is ideology?
More than just a study of ideas, it is a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an
individual. Very often ideology refers to a set of political beliefs or a set of ideas that
characterize a particular culture. While there are surely a lot of ideologies, I will only be
discussing the ones that are timely relevant today and is also something the people are
often debating about.
First of all, why are ideologies relevant to politics? What is Political Ideology?
As Ayn Rand put it, political ideology is a set of principles aimed at establishing or
maintaining a social system; it is a program of long range action, with the principles
serving to unify and integrate particular steps into a consistent course. It is only by
means of principles that men can project the future and choose their actions
accordingly. In other words, a political ideology is a belief in a stated political principle,
goal, and/or system. Even if they are not actively participating in politics, most people
can identify with a handful of ideologies that they at least comfortable with. The
functions of them are many, one example would be for organization of similar minds.

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Once an ideology is openly stated and recognized, people can give it their individual
yay or nay. The yays stick around and converse and organize political campaigns
or petitions and the likes. They are very important in a Democratic Republic like the
USA, not important so much in countries where political freedom is non existent.
Without the ability for opposing ideas to organize, make propositions, publicly debate
issues, and a host of other action, freely then true freedom cannot be claimed to exist.
Without the freedom to organize politically, a democratic republic would not work.
Political Ideology gives a coherent set of views on politics and the role of government.
Consistency over a wide range of issues is the hallmark of a political ideology. However,
given the often contradictory variables that go into molding public opinion and political
values, there is reason to question whether Americans think in ideological terms at all.
The exceptions would be the activists in political parties or in groups that espouse
specific causes.
In contrast to other countries, Americans have shown essentially no interest in political
ideologies either on the extreme left (communism) or the extreme right (fascism).
American politics functions largely in the middle of the political spectrum as a contest
between liberals and conservatives.
I will now be discussing what liberals and conservatives are. To begin, Classic
liberalism held to the doctrine of laissez-faire, which holds that the government should
be small and keep out of most areas of American life (such as the economy, community
life, and personal morality). What is called liberalism today is quite different. Liberals
believe government has an important place both as a regulator in the public interest and
to assist those with lower incomes. On the other hand, they still oppose government

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intervention in matters of personal autonomy. Only libertarians still espouse classical


liberalism, but Americans holding this political ideology are scattered across various
political parties, including the Republicans, the Democrats, and various third parties
such as the Libertarian, Reform, and Green parties.
On the other hand, Conservatives feel there is too much government
interference, particularly at the federal level, in the economy. This belief translates into
calls for lower taxes, reduced spending on social programs, and deregulation. However,
many conservatives welcome government support to further their moral agenda.
Liberals and conservatives also take opposing positions on crime, with the former
concerned with the underlying socioeconomic causes and the latter focusing on the
deterrent effect of punishment.
Perhaps because most Americans see themselves as moderates, politicians find
it difficult to stay within the ideological boundaries of liberalism or conservatism. Many
stress their credentials as fiscal conservatives while taking liberal positions on social
issues. Others take a populist line, embracing active governmental intervention in both
economic and cultural spheres. Pat Buchanan, who has run for president under both
Republican and Reform labels, usually offers populist appeals. Alabama Governor
George Wallace, a presidential candidate in 1968 and 1972, also usually endorsed
populist positions.
To make a point, I will give you an example of a leader who pushed an ideology
to his country. We Filipinos have had a history with a President named Ferdinand
Marcos, who declared martial law, believing that is is very much needed at that time.
Before anything else, martial law is a military government involving the suspension of

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ordinary law. I was not alive in that historical era so I will not be able to tell whether
declaring martial law was indeed really needed. I am only basing my opinion towards
people who were alive at the time and lived to tell the tale.
There was a blur line in the middle of whether the martial law helped the
Philippines become a greater country or not. Moreover, there was a blur line in the
middle of whether President Ferdinand Marcos was actually a good leader or not. Some
people say it was peaceful at the time of martial law, economic was good, food prices
have gone down along with the crime rate. Some people on the other hand, say it was
very violent, people who oppose to the President or any of his ideas end up being dead.
To me, I had most of my relatives tell me that it was indeed peaceful at the time and that
Marcos was a great leader, opening up new facilities for the better of the country.
In the midst of all these, there is another man, Ninoy Aquino who, most of the
masses was more in favored of being a president. Most people believed that Marcos
wanted Ninoy dead because there is a big chance he will replace him as a president,
but Marcos and Ninoy was actually very good friends. Marcos sent Ninoy to the States
along with his family, and people believed that as Marcos getting rid of Ninoy. But from
what I have been told, Ninoy was actually in trouble as someone, some other person,
wanted him dead and that Marcos was only helping him out by sending him to the
States. Years later, Marcos was very sick, and Ninoy decided to come back to the
States. Again, some people think that Ninoy is taking advantage of the situation, while
other people say Marcos actually have Ninoy come back so he can take over his place.
When Ninoy landed in Manila in 1983, he was shot to death. People who believed
Marcos was the one who ordered it was enraged and got together to form the historical

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people power revolution, pushing Ninoys wife, Cory Aquino, to be the president instead.
Marcos was deposed and Cory became the president, but that is when the Philippines
started getting worse as a country.
What is the connection with Political Ideology? First of all, people who are pro
Marcos are called Marcos apologist/loyalist. They hold an opinion that the Martial Law,
(which is a political ideology in itself) wasnt as violent as other people claim it to be.
They believe that the Martial Law helped the country become better. Marcos pushed
this Political Ideology, and while some people did believe it helped, I have to say that it
obviously didnt work. Other people, believed in a Democratic Republic (another political
ideology) and fought for their freedom.
I have mentioned Martial Law as an ideology, but I will discuss other types of
political ideologies that are timely relevant in our generation.
As we all know, there are a lot of different kinds of Political ideologies, like Anarchy,
Conservatism, Environmentalism, Gender Equality, Liberalism, Nationalism, Socialism,
Religious Ideologies etc etc. I will give three examples of Political Ideologies, starting
with Conservatism.
Conservatism (or conservatism) is a political ideology that favours tradition (in the
sense of various religious, cultural, or nationally-defined beliefs and customs) in the face
of external forces for change, and is critical of proposals for radical social change. Some
Conservatives seek to preserve the status quo or to reform society slowly, while others
seek to return to the values of an earlier time.
Classical Conservatism does not reject change per se, but insists that changes be
organic, rather than revolutionary, arguing that any attempt to modify the complex web

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of human interactions that form human society purely for the sake of some doctrine or
theory runs the risk of running afoul of the law of unintended consequences and/or of
moral hazards. As a general ideology, Conservatism is opposed to the ideals of
Liberalism and Socialism.
Conservatism generally refers to right-wing politics which advocate the preservation of
personal wealth and private ownership (Capitalism) and emphasize self-reliance and
Individualism. Conservatives in general are more punitive toward criminals, tend to hold
more orthodox religious views, and are often ethnocentric and hostile toward
homosexuals and other minority groups.
Different cultures have different established values and, in consequence, Conservatives
in different cultures have differing goals. Many forms of Conservatism incorporate
elements of other ideologies and philosophies, and in turn, Conservatism has influence
upon them. For example, Nationalism shares many Conservative values (although
usually to a more exaggerated degree), and most Conservatives strongly support the
sovereign nation and patriotically identify with their own nation (although most
Conservatives distrust the xenophobic or racist sentiments that are prominent in some
far-right wing groups).
The term "conservatism" is derived from the Latin "conservare" (meaning to "protect" or
"preserve") and from the French derivative "conservateur". Its usage in a political sense
began to appear only after the French Revolution of 1789, and then only hesitantly, only
taking its characteristic political connotation in the 1820s.
Usually, Liberals uphold the same ideology as conservatives, but they should not be
mistaken to be the same.

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Liberals believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. It
is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and
individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee
that no one is in need. Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the
government to solve problems while Conservatives believe in personal responsibility,
limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a
strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the
freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally
emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.
Another Political Ideology is Capitalism.
Capitalism is the the economic and social system (and also the mode of
production) in which the means of production are predominantly privately owned and
operated for profit, and distribution and exchange is in a mainly market economy. It is
usually considered to involve the right of individuals and corporations to trade (using
money) in goods, services, labour and land.
Some form of Capitalism has been dominant in the Western world since the end of
feudalism in the Middle Ages, and has provided the main, although not exclusive,
means of industrialization throughout much of the world. Its rise to prominence sprang
out of the mercantilism of the 16th to the 18th Centuries, and followed the rise of
Liberalism and laissez-faire economics in western society. The capitalist mode of
production, however, may exist within societies with differing state systems (e.g. liberal
democracy, fascism) and different social structures.
In Marxist terms, the owners of capital are the dominant capitalist class (or bourgeoisie),

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and the working class (or proletariat) who do not own capital must live by selling their
labour power in exchange for a wage. Thus, according to Karl Marx, Capitalism is based
on the exploitation of workers by the owners of capital, and under his theory of historical
materialism, represents just one of the stages in the evolution of a society which would
be over thown as the workers gain class consciousness and take control over the state.
However, Capitalism has met with strong opposition throughout its history, both
from the left and the right:
1) The free market and property rights:
The Anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809 - 1865) and the Marxist Friedrich Engels
(1820 - 1895) have argued that the free market is not necessarily free, but weighted
towards those who already own property, forcing those without property to sell their
labor to capitalists and landlords in a market favourable to the latter, and to accept low
wages in order to survive.
2) Market failures:
The allocation of goods and services by a free market is not as efficient as it might be
(due to the lack of perfect information and perfect competition), and individuals' pursuit
of self-interest can lead to bad results for society as a whole. It is argued that this and
certain other unique problems with a free market (including monopolies, monopsonies,
insider trading and price gouging) are grounds for government intervention.
3) Market instability:
Marxists claim that market instability is a permanent feature of capitalist economy, and
that the unplanned and explosive growth of Capitalism does not occur in a smooth
manner, but is interrupted by periods of overproduction in which stagnation or decline

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occur (i.e. recessions and depressions).


4) Profit and exploitation:
Critics of Capitalism view the system as inherently exploitative because the owners of
capital only pay labour for the cost of survival (food, shelter, clothing, etc), while
expropriating the excess (i.e. surplus value). Since capitalists control the means of
production (e.g. factories, businesses, machinery) and workers control only their labour,
the worker is naturally coerced into allowing their labour to be exploited, and is not paid
according to the true worth of his labour but arbitrarily according to what the employer is
willing to pay.
5) Inefficiency and waste:
Some opponents criticize the shift from pre-industrial reuse and thriftiness before
Capitalism to a consumer-based economy that pushes "ready-made" materials and
planned obsolescence, thus creating a potentially insoluble ecological problems.
Advertising and marketing are also seen as a wasteful use of resources, and brandbased marketing puts more emphasis on a company's name-brand than on the quality
of its products.
There are many more issues regarding Capitalism throughout history, and it is a solid
proof that Capitalism, while a good idea, is not the answer to make a country better.
Last but not the least, another Ideology is called Totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism refers to an authoritarian political system or state that regulates and
controls nearly every aspect of the public and private sectors. Totalitarian regimes
establish complete political, social, and cultural control over their subjects, and are
usually headed by a charismatic leader. In general, Totalitarianism involves a single

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mass party, typically led by a dictator; an attempt to mobilize the entire population in
support of the official state ideology; and an intolerance of activities which are not
directed towards the goals of the state, usually entailing repression and state control of
business, labour unions, churches and political parties. A totalitarian regime is
essentially a modern form of authoritarian state, requiring as it does an advanced
technology of social control. While it can be mistaken for as Martial Law, but the two
arent exactly the same.
Martial law can be seen as a form of tyranny. But it doesn't have to be tyrannical.
At a basic level, it just means that the executive is going to impose order, and that
certain procedural rights are going to be suspended at least some of the time. It can be
temporary, mild, and effective, or it can be endless, harsh, and abusive.
Totalitarianism, however, is something else entirely. It specifically refers to a particular
form of tyrannical government where the state has total control over all aspects of life,
from the economic to social life to the military. It is usually associated with invasive
information gathering and the suppression of dissent. Martial law, in the sense of
military/executive power, is usually part of this, but it doesn't have to be, and it isn't what
makes something totalitarian.
Totalitarian regimes or movements tend to offer the prospect of a glorious, yet
imaginary, future to a frustrated population, and to portray Western democracies and
their values as decadent, with people too soft, too pleasure-loving and too selfish to
sacrifice for a higher cause. They maintain themselves in political power by various
means, including secret police, propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled
mass media, personality cults, the regulation and restriction of free speech, single-party

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states, the use of mass surveillance and the widespread use of intimidation and terror
tactics.
Totalitarianism is not necessarily the same as a dictatorship or autocracy, which are
primarily interested in their own survival and, as such, may allow for varying degrees of
autonomy within civil society, religious institutions, the courts and the press. A
totalitarian regime, on the other hand, requires that no individual or institution is
autonomous from the state's all-encompassing ideology. However, in practice,
Totalitarianism and dictatorship often go hand in hand.
The term "Totalitarismo" was first employed by "the philosopher of Fascism" Giovanni
Gentile (1875 - 1944) and Benito Mussolini (1883 - 1945) in mid-20th century Fascist
Italy. It was originally intended to convey the comforting sense of an "all-embracing, total
state", but it soon attracted critical connotations and unflattering comparisons with
Liberalism and democracy.
Totalitarianism does not necessarily align itself politically with either the right or the left.
Although most recognized totalitarian regimes have been Fascist and ultra-Nationalist,
the degraded Communism of Stalin's Soviet Union and Mao Zedong's People's
Republic of China were equally totalitarian in nature, and the phrase "Totalitarian Twins"
has been used to link Communism and Fascism in this respect.
It can be argued that Totalitarianism existed millennia ago in ancient China under the
political leadership of Prime Minister Li Si (280 - 208 B.C.), who helped the Qin Dynasty
unify China. Under the ruling Legalism philosophy, political activities were severely
restricted, all literature destroyed, and scholars who did not support Legalism were
summarily put to death.

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Something very similar to Totalitarianism was also in force in Sparta, a warlike state in
Ancient Greece, for several centuries before the rise of Alexander the Great in 336 B.C.
Its educational system was part of the totalitarian military society and the state
machine dictated every aspect of life, down to the rearing of children.
The rigid caste-based society which Plato described in his "Republic" had many
totalitarian traits, despite Plato's stated goal (the search for justice), and it was clear that
the citizens served the state and not vice versa. In his "Leviathan" of 1651, Thomas
Hobbes envisioned an absolute monarchy exercising both civil and religious power, in
which the citizens are willing to cede most of their rights to the state in exchange for
security and safety. Niccol Machiavelli's "The Prince" touched on totalitarian themes,
arguing that the state is merely an instrument for the benefit of the ruler, who should
have no qualms at using whatever means are at his disposal to keep the citizenry
suppressed.
Most commentators consider the first real totalitarian regimes to have been formed in
the mid-20th Century, in the chaos following World War I, at which point the
sophistication of modern weapons and communications enabled totalitarian movements
to consolidate power in:
Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (1878 - 1953), from 1928 to 1953.
Italy under Benito Mussolini (1883 - 1945), from 1922 to 1943.
Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945) from 1933 to 1945.
Spain under Francisco Franco (1892 - 1975), from 1936 to 1975.
Portugal under Antnio de Oliveira Salazar (1889 - 1970), from 1932 to 1974.

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Other more recent examples, to greater or lesser degrees, include: the People's
Republic of China under Mao Zedong, North Korea under Kim Il Sung, Cuba under
Fidel Castro, Cambodia under Pol Pot, Romania under Nicolae Ceau?escu, Syria under
Hafez al-Assad, Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini and Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
To conclude this paper, ideology defines, as ideas with knowledge. And it exists from
explanatory theory with human experience. Ideology change economic and social
sector of the world. We can say it is a series of thought. Each ideology makes changes
in existing system. There is no common definition of ideology. It also can be define as
science of ideas or coherent ideas and argument. It can be logic, systemize or coherent.
At last ideology is a set of belief aims and ideas which apply to the society.

Bibliography:
@. (2013). Conservatism and Ideological Politics- The Imaginative Conservative.
Retrieved September 16, 2016, from
http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2013/10/conservatism-ideologicalpolitics.html
Ideology. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2016, from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/ideology-society
What is your political ideology? What do you believe? (n.d.). Retrieved September 16,
2016, from http://www.uselections.com/ideology/
(n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2016, from http://www.sparknotes.com/us-governmentand-politics/political-science/political-ideologies-and-styles/section2.rhtml

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