The role of ideology in politics and society

Political debate is widespread in society. Whether we are attentive to it or not, most people are, at an awfully simple level, political philosophers. In democratic societies just like the UK and also the USA, citizens are expected to own opinions on a large range of issues that either directly as individuals or collectively as citizens affect their lives.

Even at an easy, unsophisticated level, we’ve got views on the ‘correct’ type of government, freedom, equality and equal rights, the ‘proper role of the state in society, how ‘democratic’ one’s own social group is, the correct levels of public spending, and so on. How we predict about these and lots of other subjects are going to be influenced by the varieties of ideological beliefs we stock around in our heads, the merchandise of our social conditioning, our life experiences and our reflections on them, the state we board, our academic level and our people.

We regularly draw on this store of ideological beliefs once we try and be of the globe. they’ll not be logical, well structured, or perhaps consistent (tortured are those that try and force their experiences into an ideological straitjacket; and, given enough power, they’ll often similarly torture others into wearing the identical garment), but one’s opinions and actions will make relevancy those beliefs. Ideologies may be seen as a kind of intellectual ‘map’ to assist us to find our way about the planet, understand our place in it, analyze the political and social events happening around us. Maps vary in their degree of accuracy. One can assess their value by comparison with objective reality and debate with others.

Ideologies are related to power structures. Politicians seek power. Their ideology and also the social, economic, and political circumstances of the time influence what they are doing thereupon power after they have achieved it. Indeed, it’s impossible to separate the 2. this is applicable even to people who deny having an ideology. the utilization of power always takes place in an exceedingly framework of ideology. Modern politics can only be properly understood with regard to the good ideological movements: conservatism, liberalism, socialism, fascism, and so on.

Ideologies tend to possess bad press. they’re often dismissed as ‘errors’ or ‘untruths’. If ideology is ‘a window on the world’ it’s a window with glass that distorts the vision. The viewer has difficulty thinking beyond these distortions and assumes what he or she believes to be the ‘truth’. Ideology often distorts ‘reality’ and encourages conflict: ‘One man’s ideology is another man’s falsehood.’ Nevertheless, one must not make up the trap of assuming that each one ideology is of equal validity. they must be respected as important ways of understanding the globe. One should also try to examine one’s own ideological beliefs, to raised understand the role of ideology in politics and society.