Political Ideologies

Ideology – are sets of related ideas that modify one another, an organized set of ideas. It is also about sets of ideas about politics, all of which is related to one another and that modify and support each other.

Modern Ideologies

Liberalism

Liberalism as an ideology adheres to the concept that the highest good of society the ability of the members of that society to develop their individual capacities to the fullest extent. An ideology positing that the most important goal of politics is to help individuals develop their capacities to the fullest. To this end, people should be regulated and aided by governments as little as possible, so that they will learn from the experience of being responsible for their own decisions. Liberalist believes that “government is best which governs least.” They also adheres that power is bad thing that should be limited as much as possible. Power allows some people to force choices on others, which files directly in the face of liberal principles. To a liberal, politics should properly consist of public choices, in the making of which each person shares equally. As many choices as possible should be kept private (Shively, 2005).

Democracy is the appropriate system of government for liberalism, hence, democracy is a system in which qualified citizens vote at regular intervals to choose, among alternative candidates, the people who will be in charge of setting the state’s policies. Robert Dahl denotes that democracy is a system of government that meets three essential conditions: meaningful and extensive competition among individuals and organized groups (especially political parties) for all elective positions of government power excluding the use of force; a highly inclusive level of political participation in the selection of leaders and policies, at least through regular level of civil and political liberties – freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom to form and join organizations – sufficient to ensure the integrity of political competition and participation (Diamond, et al., 1988).

Two Kinds of Democracy:

1. Direct Democracy - Democracy is direct or pure when the people themselves discharge the three powers of government wherein the will of the state is formulated or primary assembly, rather than through the medium of delegates or representatives chosen to act for them.

2. Indirect Democracy - Democracy is indirect (representative democracy) when the people govern themselves through elected public official’s. This is one which the will of the state is formulated and expressed through the agency of relatively small and select body of persons chosen by the people to act as their representatives.

Conservatism

Conservatism as an ideology positing that the most important goal of politics is to create stable communities based on hierarchy of power in which leaders and followers have reciprocal responsibilities and obligations. Unlike liberalism, conservatism is not suspicious of power and does not seek to limit the power of the state. Rather, the point of conservatism is that power should be in the hands of a traditional class of rulers. Conservatives do not see a powerful monarch or president as one who is in a position to treat people capriciously. Rather, they see such an official as one who is in a position of awesome responsibility, with generally little choice as to courses of action. Furthermore, conservatism stresses the responsibility of the powerful in a community to help the weak, a position opposed to the view of liberals that the weak should be given responsibility for their own affairs.

Socialism

Socialism as an ideology adheres that society consists of classes (groups of people similarly placed economically) constantly in conflict. To create a just society in which people are equal, the working class should take over the state and direct all industries. Socialism retained the assumption of liberalism that all persons deserve equal treatment by the state and should have equal opportunities to develop themselves; but unlike liberalism, it did not posit that people could develop individually, and it was not suspicious as liberalism of the concentration of power and of positive action by the state. Marx based his social theory on the existing zeitgeist of his time. It was the era of the Industrial revolution where Capitalist – eager to earn more, were abusive over the laborers. Marx believes that there was an existing class struggle in world society, a class struggle between the elements of the means of production, - the Capitalist, upon which he termed as Bourgeosie; and the Laborers or the Proletariat. Marx predicted that the continued oppression of the capitalist to the laborers would result into a drastic measure to attain a change in the society. He adheres in the concept of a revolution to change the existing situation. This revolution is needed and would be carried out by the Proletariats against the Capitalist, a diplomatic resolution was not possible; since the Capitalist will not allow a share in their leadership in the society with the Proletariat. Once, the revolution has been carried out, a new society will emerge, and will be headed by the Proletariats. Religion was considered by Marx as the cause weakness of the people since it teaches the people to be meek and good, Marx considers religion as the “Opium of Society.” To avoid the abuses and greediness of the people, Marx introduces a kind of society upon which there is the abolition of private property and will be replaced by communal or common ownership of material things by the people, this society will be in its preparatory state of Socialism to prepare the world for the global aspect of Communism. Marx believes that his utopian society is only possible if it is a worldwide contexts, because communism will not work if it is only compounded within the State.

Fascism

Commonly known as Totalitarian of the right, is a totalitarian organization of government and society by extremely rightist single party dictatorship which is intensely nationalist, militarist and imperialist which emphasizes superiority of a particular race. Fascism is not entirely considered as an ideology but rather a political style. It uses innovative style in campaigning, usually appealing to the nationalism of the people to rally support them. For instance, Hitler and the NAZI Party appealed to the German populace by condemning the Treaty of Versailles as the main culprit in German economic collapse after World War I. By gaining the support of the people, making promises of Aryan mastery of the world, silencing oppositions and creating a strong state geared for war, Hitler and the NAZI Party was able to take entire control of Germany which resulted to World War II.

Presidential and Parliamentary Government:

Presidential The president system of the government is the theoretical opposite of the parliamentary form. Its basic framework is the theory of separation of powers. It is one in which the chief executive has a status independent of and co-ordinate with the legislature and is not subject to the direction or control of the latter either for his continuance in office or in respect to the manner in which he exercise his powers.

Parliamentary Government

This form of government is founded upon the theory of fusion of powers, not separation.. Under this system the ultimate seat of governmental powers is the legislature called “Parliament, “ and the executive is subordinate and responsible to the legislature both with respect to his tenure of office and the manner he exercises the powers of government