What is an ideology?

They offer a view of society as it is, and how/whether it should be changed.

They mostly end with suffix of “ism” (so-called isms)

Once ideologies desires to be known and adopted by masses, they always contain catchy “slogans” and symbols.

Swastika of the Nazism; Hammer and sickle, the well-known symbol of communist political movements

CLASSICAL LIBERALISM (individual freedom)

Adam Smith laid the foundations of classical liberalism.

Individuals and firms are at the heart of liberalism, not society and state

“State must stand away from economics; government intervention only retards growth!” then “Laissez faire, laissez passer!

1723-1790

If you protect domestic industry by tariffs, you take away incentives for better or cheaper products.

In the absence of state, the market would regulate economy. Efficient producers would remain, inefficient one would go under. Supply and demand would determine the prices better than any government.

Not government but the invisible hand of the market would regulate and self-correct economy..

Hence, the crux point of liberalism is the level of government intervention; the government is best that governs least.

Thomas Hill Green (1836-1882)

It was later understood that economy without state intervention did not go well.

Furthermore, classical liberalism continued to deepen the problem of social classes and inequality.

Green started by dealing with the problem of freedom. He divided it into two: negative freedom and positive freedom.

(negative freedom) is for protecting individuals from the oppression of the state.

Positive role for the state (positive freedom): facilitating individuals development, such as education, healthcare...

SOCIAL (MODERN) LIBERALISM

Today, modern followers of the principles of classical liberalism are called neo-liberals.

Neo-liberals suggest a return to the classical liberalism that limits state intervention in economic life.

They exerted great influence particularly during the 1980s. British PM Margareth Teatcher and the US President Ronald Reagan.

NEO-LIBERALISM

Milton Friedman

MARXIST SOCIALISM (equality)

Marx claims that infrastructure (economic system) always shapes superstructure (government, political institutions, laws, art, etc..

19th century: Industrial revolution -> villagers turned into factory workers

The new conditions gave birth to a new class – the proleteriat-.

This new class was the producer of all economic asset, but it had no political right it could use to correct heavy working conditions, to get social services even enough food to feed its families

Slums in the mid of 19th. century

they settled around and formed large slums where life conditions were inhuman.

Marx envisaged proleteriat revolution for emancipation

The new political institutions would be designed to meet the needs of the proleteriat class.

Marx’s view is based on class conflict; because he did not believe that bourgeoisie-led system would collapse unless working class attempted to destroy it.

After revolution, there will be no need for a state and class differences would go away altogether.

Marx was later reinterpreted by some others; with some important modifications by Lenin in Russia.

For Lenin, state was needed at least for a period after the revolution.

State in the Soviet Union remained in place between 1917-1989!

Law and order, respect for authority, importance of traditional values.

1729-1797

CONSERVATISM (social values)

Burke’s views are accepted the basic principles of conservatism:

Institutions and traditions that currently exist can not be all bad, because they are products of hundreds of years of trial and error.

Do not expect rational behaviour from individuals.

Revolutions are undesirable, because society is an organism. You should not change its parts suddenly.

NATIONALISM (national unity)

Modern nationalism has its roots in the French revolution of 1789.

It diffused to Europe either by inspiring from the French revolution

It is two-dimensional:

individuals showing loyalty to the same political institutions and values (civic nationalism)

individuals sharing the same roots: blood, culture and religion, speaking the same language etc. (ethnic nationalism)

FASCISM (superiority)

Anti-EnlightenmentCommunity creates individualsWithout the state and society individuals are nothing

Individuals cannot govern themselves

Elites should rule, a Fuhrer or a Duce

Nazi version: german race is superior to others

Hitler and Germany (1921-45)Mussolini and Italy between (1925-43)

ANARCHISM

The state should go away.

State corrupts people, without the state individuals can be free and moral.

See where you stand

• Take the political compass test

• http://www.politicalcompass.org/

• Print out your result and hand it to me next week as a quiz assignment.

Challenge to Dominant Ideologies

The End of History?

• Francis Fukuyama (1992): the victory of liberalism.

Feminism

• Against the oppression of women

Liberal Feminism• Women should enjoy the same rights as

men in the public sphere

• Mary Wollstonecraft: A vindication of the Rights of Women– Enlightenment=rigths of men?

Liberal Feminism

Liberal Feminism

Liberal Feminism

• Positive discrimination?

• Laws must be reviewed

Radical Feminism (1960-)

• Patriarchal society oppresses women.– Femicide– Sex workers

• Biology is used in

oppression

• Women need liberation

not equality

Marxist feminists

• The oppression is mainly caused by capitalism

• Working-class women are the most exploited

• Women take care of the house and family so that men can go out and work

Environmentalism

Light green (environmentalism)

Dark green (ecologism)

Dark green• Natural limits to growth: We should stop

economic growth to save the environment

• Not only for humans, nature has moral worth

• Moral worth= Sentient beings

• http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/sc/web/video/titles/12151/do-plants-respond-to-pain

Light green• Humans need the environment AND growth• Sustainable developement: development

that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the future generations’ needs

• Ecological modernization: growth can be sustainable– Renewable energy (wind, wave, water, solar,

nuclear)– Environementally friendly technology

Communitarianism (multiculturalism)

• Group rights and responsibilities to groups rather than individual claims

• Amitai Etzioni: West is obsessed with individuals, forgot about responsibilities.

• Cultural, ethnic, religious, social groups are bridges between individual and the state

Religious fundamentalism• Religion should be the basis of political

organization

• Huntington: The clash of civilisations?

• Islamic fundamentalism: to create an Islamic state– ISIS

• Christian fundamentalism: anti-feminist, anti-gay, anti-abortion campaigning.– Oklahoma bombing

Ideologies in practice• Akkuyu nuclear power plant project

according to:– Liberalism– Marxism– Nationalism– Anarchism– Feminism– Dark green– Light green