POLITICAL
IDEOLOGIES
ROVEJEN C. CAÑA
Subject Teacher
Meaning of Ideology
Ideology according to
Heywood (2007) refers to
a system of beliefs about
how society should
function, behave, and
operate.
Functions of Political Ideology
Political ideologies are very important in a society. Heywood
(2007) also described the following functions of political
ideology:
(1) It offers an account of the existing order by examining
what works and what does not work, as well as other
various issues and problems that the state and the
broader society are confronted with.
(2) It provides a model of a desired social order, a vision of
the Good Society.
(3) It outlines how political change or the desired social order
can be achieved.
Major Political Ideologies
1. Liberalism
2. Conservatism
3. Socialism
1. Liberalism
Liberalism pertains to set of political beliefs emphasizing
individual rights and liberties. Its key ideas are the
following:
Key Ideas of Liberalism
1. Individualism: It is the core principle of liberal ideology.
Individualism is further explained as:
❖ belief in the supreme importance of the human
❖ human beings are seen with equal moral worth;
they possess separate and unique identities
❖ the liberal goal is to construct a society within
which individuals can flourish and develop
2. Freedom
Individual freedom or liberty is the core value of liberalism.
❖ desire to ensure that each person is able to act as he or
she pleases or chooses
❖ advocate ‘freedom under the law’, as they recognize that
one person’s liberty may be a threat to the liberty of others
3. Reason
The world has a rational structure, and that this can be uncovered
through the exercise of human reason and by critical enquiry.
❖ faith in the ability of individuals to make wise judgments;
❖ individuals as the best judges of their own interests;
❖ belief in progress and the capacity of human beings to
resolve their differences through debate and argument, rather
than bloodshed and war.
4. Equality
Individuals are ‘born equal’
Liberalism has strong commitment to equal rights namely:
❖ legal equality (‘equality before the law’);
❖ political equality (‘one person, one vote; one vote,
one value’).
5. Toleration
It means willingness to allow others to think, speak and
act in ways which they disapprove. This promotes debate
and intellectual progress.
6. Consent
It will advocate that authority and social relationships
should always be based on consent or willing agreement.
Under this idea, the government must therefore be based
on the ‘consent of the governed’.
Authority is always grounded in legitimacy.
2. Conservatism
refers to set of political beliefs based on preservation of
customs and traditions that define the character of a
society.
Here are the key ideas of conservatism:
Key Ideas of Conservatism:
1. Tradition
o central theme of conservative thought ‘the desire to
conserve’.
o established customs and institutions that have endured
through time.
o accumulated wisdom of the past, and institutions and
practices that have been ‘tested by time’,
o preserved for the benefit of the living and for generations
yet to come.
2. Pragmatism
It is the belief that action should be shaped by
practical circumstances and practical goals, that is,
by ‘what works’.
3. Human imperfection
o Human beings are limited
o Dependent
o security-seeking creatures
o Human beings are needing to live in stable and
orderly communities.
o Maintenance of order requires a strong state, the
enforcement of strict laws, and stiff penalties.
4. Authority
o always exercised ‘from above’
o Providing leadership, guidance and support for
those who lack the knowledge, experience or
education to act wisely in their own interests.
o Authority and leadership are seen as resulting
from experience and training.
5. Property
o Conservatives see property ownership as being
vital because it gives people security and a
measure of independence from government,
o Encourages them to respect the law and the
property of others.
3. Socialism
Socialism is defined as set of political beliefs
emphasizing community and social equality
that adheres to the following ideas:
Key Ideas of Socialism
1. Community: The core of socialism is the vision of
human beings as social creatures linked by the existence of
a common humanity.
2. Fraternity: It is sharing a common humanity. Humans
are bound together by a sense of comradeship or
fraternity (literally meaning ‘brotherhood’, but broadened
in this context to embrace all humans).
3. Social equality is the central value of socialism:
It emphasizes equality of outcome as opposed to
equality of opportunity. The measure of social equality is
looked upon as guarantee of social stability and
cohesion.
equality of opportunity equality of outcome
4. Need is of primary importance in Socialism: It is
the belief that material benefits should be
distributed on the basis of need, rather than simply
on the basis of merit or work: ‘From each according
to his ability, to each according to his need’.
5. Social class: The socialist goal is the eradication of
economic and social inequalities, or their substantial
reduction.
6. Common ownership: The socialist case for common
ownership is that it is a means of harnessing material
resources to the common good, with private property
being seen to promote selfishness, acquisitiveness and
social division.
