The Political SpectrumThe Political Spectrum

CommunismCommunism SocialismSocialism Reform LiberalismReform Liberalism Classical LiberalismClassical Liberalism ConservatismConservatism FascismFascism

What is politics?What is politics?

What comes to mind when you think What comes to mind when you think of Political systems?of Political systems?

Hitler

Mussolini

ConservatismConservatism

Basic Principles:Basic Principles:• TraditionTradition• Social StabilitySocial Stability• Society as FunctionalSociety as Functional• OrderOrder• All individuals work for the collective All individuals work for the collective

good by fulfilling their role in their social good by fulfilling their role in their social station in the social structure.station in the social structure.

Conservatism Conservatism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Historical Origin:Historical Origin:• 18th Century18th Century• Feudal SocietyFeudal Society

Role of Government:Role of Government:• Rules in the interest the social order, the Rules in the interest the social order, the

interest of the wealthyinterest of the wealthy• Minimal / modest role for governmentMinimal / modest role for government

Conservatism Conservatism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Individual:Individual:• subservient to the collective goodsubservient to the collective good

Human Nature:Human Nature:• innate and fixedinnate and fixed• must be must be regulatedregulated

Conservatism Conservatism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Economic Base:Economic Base:• Agrarian to Capitalist to . . .Agrarian to Capitalist to . . .

Economic Freedom:Economic Freedom: HighHigh Economic Equality:Economic Equality: LowLow Freedom of Thought and Belief: Freedom of Thought and Belief:

HighHigh Freedom of Expression: ModerateFreedom of Expression: Moderate

Conservatism Conservatism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Country & Time:Country & Time:• England and Canada: early to late 19th England and Canada: early to late 19th

CenturyCentury

Writer / Theorist:Writer / Theorist:• William PaleyWilliam Paley

1743-1805

Classical LiberalismClassical Liberalism

Basic Principles:Basic Principles:• Supremacy of Individual Liberty and Supremacy of Individual Liberty and

RightsRights• The greatest good for all results from The greatest good for all results from

unrestricted freedom of the individualunrestricted freedom of the individual• Individual freedom: political, economicIndividual freedom: political, economic• Progress is Good, and results from Progress is Good, and results from

individual freedom of actionindividual freedom of action

Classical Liberalism Classical Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Competition and struggle for Competition and struggle for existence amongst all is goodexistence amongst all is good

Each person achieves according to Each person achieves according to their innate abilitytheir innate ability

MeritocracyMeritocracy Government impedes individual Government impedes individual

liberty, personal, political and liberty, personal, political and economic, to the detriment of alleconomic, to the detriment of all

Modelled on a view of nature as Modelled on a view of nature as competitive, survival of the fittestcompetitive, survival of the fittest

Classical Liberalism Classical Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Historical Origin:Historical Origin:• England in the 1830’sEngland in the 1830’s

Role of Government:Role of Government:• Absolute minimumAbsolute minimum• A negative forceA negative force• It detracts from the liberty of the It detracts from the liberty of the

individualindividual

Classical Liberalism Classical Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

IndividualIndividual• Should have complete and unrestricted Should have complete and unrestricted

freedom: political and economicfreedom: political and economic

Human Nature:Human Nature:• Inherently acts on self-interest Inherently acts on self-interest

and selfishnessand selfishness

Dollarsign Bag

Classical Liberalism Classical Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Economic Base:Economic Base:• Industrialization to Capitalism to . . .Industrialization to Capitalism to . . .

Economic Freedom:Economic Freedom: Very highVery high Economic Equality:Economic Equality: Very Very LowLow Freedom of Thought and Belief: Freedom of Thought and Belief:

Very HighVery High Freedom of Expression: Very HighFreedom of Expression: Very High

Classical Liberalism Classical Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Country & Time:Country & Time: England and the U.S. in late 19th CenturyEngland and the U.S. in late 19th Century

Writer / Theorist:Writer / Theorist:• Adam SmithAdam Smith• Thomas HuxleyThomas Huxley• William SpencerWilliam Spencer

Thomas Huxley 1825-1895

Reform LiberalismReform Liberalism

Basic Principles:Basic Principles:• Individual freedom must be tempered by Individual freedom must be tempered by

collective action for the improvement of collective action for the improvement of individual and collective welfareindividual and collective welfare

• Progress is good, change is goodProgress is good, change is good• Inequalities of opportunity exist in the Inequalities of opportunity exist in the

social structure, and government should social structure, and government should address this to provide equality of address this to provide equality of opportunity for allopportunity for all

Reform Liberalism Reform Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Historical Origin:Historical Origin:• England and North America in the late 19th England and North America in the late 19th

and early 20th Centuryand early 20th Century

Role of Government:Role of Government:• has a positive role in society and the economyhas a positive role in society and the economy• government intervention to regulate and government intervention to regulate and

manage the economy for the wellbeing of allmanage the economy for the wellbeing of all• government intervenes to protect minority government intervenes to protect minority

rightsrights

Reform Liberalism Reform Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Individual:Individual:• a primary valuea primary value• individual liberty and freedom is important, but individual liberty and freedom is important, but

government action is necessary to ensure this government action is necessary to ensure this for allfor all

Human Nature:Human Nature:• basically goodbasically good• government creates social conditions that government creates social conditions that

allow individuals to flourishallow individuals to flourish

Reform Liberalism Reform Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Economic Base:Economic Base:• Industrial to Capitalist to . . .Industrial to Capitalist to . . .

Economic Freedom:Economic Freedom: HighHigh Economic Equality:Economic Equality: ModerateModerate Freedom of Thought and Belief: Freedom of Thought and Belief:

Very HighVery High Freedom of Expression: HighFreedom of Expression: High

Reform Liberalism Reform Liberalism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Country & Time:Country & Time:• England and Canada in the early 20th England and Canada in the early 20th

CenturyCentury

Writer/Theorist:John Maynard KeynesWriter/Theorist:John Maynard Keynes

1883-1946

SocialismSocialism

Basic Principles:Basic Principles:• An economic and class understanding of An economic and class understanding of

societysociety• Economic classes have conflicting Economic classes have conflicting

interests, and society evolves towards interests, and society evolves towards power in the hands of the working class.power in the hands of the working class.

• The collective good takes precedence The collective good takes precedence over self-interest of individualsover self-interest of individuals

• Humans are fundamentally social beings Humans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groupsand their fulfillment is in social groups

Socialism Socialism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Historical Origin:Historical Origin:• England in the 19th CenturyEngland in the 19th Century

Role of Government:Role of Government:• The government intervenes to prevent The government intervenes to prevent

economic exploitation of workers by capitalistseconomic exploitation of workers by capitalists• The government manages the economy in the The government manages the economy in the

interest of the citizens to ensure the economic interest of the citizens to ensure the economic wellbeing of all.wellbeing of all.

• Public or collective ownership over the Public or collective ownership over the resources and infrastructure of the societyresources and infrastructure of the society

Socialism Socialism (cont’d)(cont’d)

IndividualIndividual• The rights and desires of individuals are The rights and desires of individuals are

subordinate to the wellbeing and subordinate to the wellbeing and welfare of the majoritywelfare of the majority

Human Nature:Human Nature:• Humans are fundamentally social beings Humans are fundamentally social beings

and their fulfillment is in social groupsand their fulfillment is in social groups

Socialism Socialism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Economic Base:Economic Base:• IndustrialIndustrial• Collective or public ownership of resources and Collective or public ownership of resources and

industryindustry

Economic Freedom:Economic Freedom: LowLow Economic Equality:Economic Equality: HighHigh Freedom of Thought and Belief: HighFreedom of Thought and Belief: High Freedom of Expression: ModerateFreedom of Expression: Moderate

Socialism Socialism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Country & Time:Country & Time:• Northern Europe Early 19Northern Europe Early 19thth Century Century

Writer / Theorist:Writer / Theorist: Robert Owen, Jean-Robert Owen, Jean-Jaccques Rousseau, Henri de Saint-Jaccques Rousseau, Henri de Saint-Simon Simon

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

1712-1778

CommunismCommunism

Basic Principles:Basic Principles:• An economic class understanding of societyAn economic class understanding of society• A determinist understand of an inevitable A determinist understand of an inevitable

historical evolution to a classless society based historical evolution to a classless society based on the conflict between the working class and on the conflict between the working class and the capitalist classthe capitalist class

• A strong central government is necessary to A strong central government is necessary to impose government control of the resources, impose government control of the resources, industry and productive base of the society in industry and productive base of the society in the interests of allthe interests of all

• TotalitarianTotalitarian

Communism Communism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Historical Origin:Historical Origin:• U.S.S.R.U.S.S.R.

Role of Government:Role of Government:• highly interventionist in the politics and highly interventionist in the politics and

economy of the countryeconomy of the country

In Soviet Russia…In Soviet Russia…

NOTES TAKE YOU!

Communism Communism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Individual:Individual:• individuals are subordinate to the individuals are subordinate to the

wellbeing and interests of allwellbeing and interests of all

Human Nature:Human Nature:• Humans are fundamentally social beings Humans are fundamentally social beings

and their fulfillment is in social groupsand their fulfillment is in social groups

Stalin

Communism Communism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Economic Base:Economic Base:• Industrial, sometimes agrarianIndustrial, sometimes agrarian• State capitalist?State capitalist?

Economic Freedom:Economic Freedom: Very LowVery Low Economic Equality:Economic Equality: Very HighVery High Freedom of Thought and Belief: LowFreedom of Thought and Belief: Low Freedom of Expression: LowFreedom of Expression: Low

Communism Communism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Country & Time:Country & Time:• U.S.S.R, 1917 - 1991U.S.S.R, 1917 - 1991• China, post 1949China, post 1949

Writer / Theorist:Writer / Theorist:• Lenin Lenin • Karl Marx (communist manifesto)Karl Marx (communist manifesto)

Note: Divergence between Communism Note: Divergence between Communism as a philosophy and historical political as a philosophy and historical political systemsystem

Hearing LeninHearing Lenin

Russian Civil War Era SpeechRussian Civil War Era Speech

Russian Ideologist and Communist leader Vladimir Russian Ideologist and Communist leader Vladimir Lenin speaking during the Russian Civil War Lenin speaking during the Russian Civil War

(1918-1922)(1918-1922)

FascismFascism

Basic Principles:Basic Principles:• An ultra-conservative and ultra-nationalist An ultra-conservative and ultra-nationalist

approach to social structureapproach to social structure• The good social order is achieved by a The good social order is achieved by a

totalitarian state that manages society and the totalitarian state that manages society and the economy towards military and state powereconomy towards military and state power

• Complete government and state regulation of Complete government and state regulation of individuals’ rights and the economy in the individuals’ rights and the economy in the interest of the stateinterest of the state

• Glorification of a past ideal time and military Glorification of a past ideal time and military powerpower

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler

http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/explorers_history/Adolf_Hitler_walking_out_of_Brown_House_after_1930_elections.jpg

Fascism Fascism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Historical Origin:Historical Origin:• Italy in the 1920’sItaly in the 1920’s• Germany in the 1930’sGermany in the 1930’s

Role of Government:Role of Government:• The government is the supreme power The government is the supreme power

in society, and directs the political and in society, and directs the political and economic system in the interest of the economic system in the interest of the fascist statefascist state

http://sharonweinberger.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/mind_control.gif

Fascism Fascism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Individual:Individual:• The individual is completely subordinate The individual is completely subordinate

to the interests of the stateto the interests of the state

Human Nature:Human Nature:• human fulfillment is found in serving the human fulfillment is found in serving the

interests of the fascist stateinterests of the fascist state

Fascism Fascism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Economic Base:Economic Base:• Industrial and capitalistIndustrial and capitalist• Capitalist production is directed by the state Capitalist production is directed by the state

for the interests of the statefor the interests of the state

Economic Freedom:Economic Freedom: LowLow Economic Equality:Economic Equality: LowLow Freedom of Thought and Belief: LowFreedom of Thought and Belief: Low Freedom of Expression: Very LowFreedom of Expression: Very Low

Fascism Fascism (cont’d)(cont’d)

Country & Time:Country & Time:• Italy in the 1920s and 1930sItaly in the 1920s and 1930s• Germany in the 1930sGermany in the 1930s

Writer / Theorist:Writer / Theorist:

Benito Mussolini

Hitler’s Beerhall SpeechHitler’s Beerhall Speech

Footage taken from a movie depicting Hitler Footage taken from a movie depicting Hitler speaking to a crowded Munich beerhall, speaking to a crowded Munich beerhall, typical of his early methods of spreading typical of his early methods of spreading

his ideals.his ideals.

That’s It !!!That’s It !!!

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