Political Ideologies and Ideas
Dr. Ramesh Chandra Sethi
Assistant Professor (Pol. Sc.)
School of Law
KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
What you will learn out of this lesson?
• Concept of Idea and Ideology
• How Ideas and Ideologies influence political life?
• Role of Ideas
• Views of Ideology
• Contours of Ideology
• Significance of Political Ideology
• What are the linkages between Ideologies (Political) and Law?
Concept of Idea
• Idea: A thought or collection of thoughts that generate
in mind with an intent or it can also be created
unintentionally.
• Ideas often form during brainstorming sessions or
through various discussions
• It can be a formulated thought or any kind of opinion
that emerged from specific situation/context/
circumstances/need of the time
Concept of Ideology
• Ideology as an action oriented political belief system, an interrelated
set of ideas that some way guides or inspires the political action
• Ideas that situated the individual within a social context & generate a
sense of collective belonging for example - idea of a community
• From a social-scientific view point, an ideology is a more or less
coherent set of ideas that provides a basis for organized political
action, with an intention to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing
system of power relationships
• The world view of a particular social class or social group
How ideas and ideologies influence political life?
• (i) Structure political understanding & so set goals & inspires political
activism
• (ii) Ideologies provide a perspective, or “Lens”, through which the
world is understood & explained
• (iii) Shape the nature of political systems
• (iv) Act as a form of social cement - Social groups, societies with a set
of unifying beliefs & values, for example-Liberalism with the middle
class, conservatism with landed aristocracy & socialism with working
class
• Ideas & ideologies bind together the divergent groups & classes within
society
Role of Political Ideas & Ideologies
• Political ideas are mere propaganda, a form of words, or
collection of slogans designed to win votes or attract political
support
• Ideas & ideologies are used to conceal the deeper realities of
political life
• Political ideas are the reflection of vested interests, personal
ambition
• Political ideas has the capacity to inspire & guide political action
• Political ideas are moulded by the social & historical
circumstances in which they develop & by the political
ambitions they serve
• Political life constantly interplays between ideas & ideologies
Views on Ideology
• The study of political ideology reflects on questions about nature of
politics, role & significant of political thought, that sets political ideas &
arguments, classified as ideologies
• According to David McLellan (1995), “ideology is
a most elusive concept in the whole of the social
sciences”
• Karl Marx - Ideology is about “delusion &
mystification” & also a temporary phenomenon
• Friedrich Engels-Ideology as a “false consciousness”
• Antonio Gramsci - Capitalist class system is upheld not simply by unequal
economic & political power but what he termed the “hegemony” of
bourgeois ideas & theories
• Non-Marxist views - As thought systems that serve to defend a particular
social order & broadly express the interests of its dominant or ruling group
Contours of Ideology
A. Offer an account of the existing order, usually in the form of a “world
view”
B. Advance a model of a desired future, a vision of the good society
C. Explain how the political change can & should brought about - how to
get from A to B
Ideological divide - Left & Right wings
• Left wing (Communism & Socialism) - favor liberty, equality &
fraternity & believe (optimistic) in the possibility of social progress.
They advocate regulation & economic management (State intervention)
• Right wing (Fascism & Conservatism)- Order, authority & hierarchy &
doubtful (pessimistic) about the benefits of change & they champion
deregulated capitalism & the free market (State intervention)
Significance of Political Ideology
• Ideology used as a political tool to attain & maintain political
power
• Ideology gives a brand name to specific political party &
individual for example - Last parliament election (2014) -
Shri Narendra Modi & BJP
• It gives a recognition to a political party & their agenda to
win in the election & come to power
• Certain ideologies bring stability to a political system
• Ideology is a manifestation of power if supported by mass
(population)
What are the linkages between Ideologies (Political) and Law?
There are 4 significant perspectives with regard to ideology and law:
•No ideology matters;
•Nothing political matters to law;
•Ideology matters to law;
•Politics but not ideology matters to law
•According to Alexander Hamilton-“there is no liberty if the power of judging
be not separated from the legislative & executive powers”
•If a judge changes the law with the influence of ideology & politics, there is
a potential loss of liberty, because the change alters what the law permits and
risks favoring some persons over others.
References:
• Andre Heywood, Political Ideologies: An Introduction, Palgrave
Macmillan, 2012.
• Arvind Sivarmakrishnan, Introduction to Political Ideologies: Contexts,
Ideas and Practices, Sage Texts, 2017.
• H. Rosenberg, Reason, Ideology and Politics, Polity Press, 1998.
• Ian Adams, Political Ideology Today, Manchester University Press, 2001
• O.P. Gauba, An Introduction to Political Theory, Macmillan Publishers
India Ltd., 2009.
• Roger Eatwell and Anthony Wright, Contemporary Political Ideologies,
Printer Publishers, London, 1993.
Thank You
