THEORETICAL AND COMPARATIVE STUDY ON POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES Name

THEORETICAL AND COMPARATIVE STUDY ON POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES Name: Institution:

INTRODUCTION � Human history has challenged men in the course of their lives � Different events have made people rethink on how to live � The different events formed the birth of the political society � From that time scholars, political leaders and states have defined different ideas about political leadership � These ideas are regarded as the political ideologies

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY ENTAILS � The way people need to be governed � The relationship between the government and the citizens � The system of government � The governance that the people wish to practice � What people hold as the form of governance

DEFINITION OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGY � An ideology is regarded as a set of ideas � Political ideology, therefore, is a set of ideas � This is the simplest definition of a political ideology � The term political ideology has been defined differently � Political scholars have defined the term political ideology differently � However, there is one common threat that runs in all the definitions

DEFINITION OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGY CONT’ � The common threat in all the definitions of political ideology is a set of social beliefs, values, as well as ideas. � These social beliefs and values form the basis of a social, economic, as well as political philosophy of a given group of people � The system of beliefs and values offer the people with a perspective upon which to evaluate the appropriate role of their elected leaders, prioritization of the public policies, as well as structure on which diverse elements of the society are founded � Most people possess a particular political ideology regardless of whether they realize it or not

POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES COMMON ACROSS THE GLOBE � � Liberalism or conservatism- most citizens in the U. S subscribe to this ideology Liberalism and conservatism are widely spread across the world � Other ideologies include socialism, communism, and Marxism � This presentation will present a theoretical and comparative aspects of liberalism and conservatism � The answer to the question on what it means to be a liberal or a conservative or better still a socialist or a communist is provided

POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES ALONG A POLITICAL SPECTRUM � Political scholars have identified different political ideologies along a political spectrum � This identity has been defined as way of undertaking a comparison and visualizing the different political ideologies � The spectrum is usually described along a left-middle-right line � These categorization is not conclusive � This is because many ideologies encompass different views and can fall on different points along the line � The political ideologies are complex but the spectrum oversimplifies them

LIBERALISM � Liberalism and Conservatism for two main contrasting political ideologies used mostly in succession � Liberalism is a set of political social, as well as economic ideologies � It is founded on values of individual liberty, equality, as well as economic freedom, regulated and democratic government based on the rule of law � It is anchored on the doctrine of equality � The ideology denounces social as well as economic inequality in its entirety at its core

LIBERALS � They subscribe to the idea of equal opportunity in the driving force to achieving the end � They denounce all the discriminatory practices by the government that can lead to greater wealth inequalities � They advocate for public policies that provide a level playing field for al citizens � Liberalism requires the government to hold the civil liberties and rights alongside the progressive values

LIBERALISM CONT. ’ � The ideology also believes that it is the responsibility of the government to protect her people � Liberals advocate for an egalitarian approach to public policy � This involves the government ensuring that all citizens have equal access to affordable healthcare, clean and safe environment and quality education � Government must ensure that all citizens are comfortable and advocated � Government must advocate for policies such as affirmative action programs, progressive taxations, worker’s health, and safety of citizens among others

CONSERVATISM � Contrary to liberalism, conservatism is a political ideology that advocates for strong preference for the historically inherited as opposed to the abstract and ideal � Conservatism values the creation and maintenance of stable systems of societies � The societies are anchored upon a hierarchy of power lodged in a traditional class of leaders in relation to traditional institutions and values � It does not give attention to the powers of the state � It does not seek to put a limitation to the state powers

CONSERVATISM CONT’ � It is concerned with change and its necessity � Conservatives denounce revolutionary approach and advocates for an evolutionary approach to state maters � Conservatives believe that change should only occur when it is absolutely necessary � The change should be as a result of avoiding a greater evil but again the process of change has to be regulated

CONSERVATISM BELIEFS � With regard to change, conservatives suggest that it has to be regulates � Change to the current ideas and principles must be reviewed carefully in reference to the facts and the reality on the ground as opposed to abstract theory � Change must be a product of pragmatism based on traditions and previously accepted practices � They believe that people need strong leadership institutions, strict moral codes and very firm laws

CONSERVATISM BELIEFS CONT’ � Conservatives hold firm to the existing ways of life � The government is regarded as the servant to the existing good old ways and nobody should change them � The politicians have to resist the temptations to change the society and politics � Conservatives are against change to the old order and only consider it when regulated

COMPARISON OF LIBERALISM AND CONSERVATISM � The two political ideologies present dynamic views in terms of political social and economic ideologies � These ideologies sustain various people and operates in different aspects of the society � The two ideologies are sharply contrasting � Liberalism is touted as the left wing ideology while conservatism represents the right wing

DISTINGUSIHIING FEATURES OF THE TWO IDEOLOGIES � Whereas conservatives believe in pursuing policies because they are pragmatic and can work � On the other hand, liberals pursue policies because they are good and make them comfortable, and their viability and practicability comes second � Liberals believe to a right of revolution and to overthrow the government in the event that it deviates from the compact will of the people and become tyrannical � Conservatives, on the other hand, advocate for an evolutionary approach to change in the governance structure system

COMPARISON CONT. ’ � Conservatives are not suspicious of the powers of the government and less concerned about the powers of the state provided it cannot bring about change � On the other hand, liberals are extremely conscious about the powers of the government and strive to have a limitation to the powers of the state and the government by ensuring the rule of law is upheld � Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government intervention, individual liberty and strong traditional values

COMPARISON CONT. ’ � On the other hand, liberals advocate for government intervention in achieving equal opportunity to ensure quality for all � Liberals believe that it is the duty of the government to protect her citizens by alleviating social ills and protecting civil rights and liberties � These differences point to the disparity in the two ideologies � The differences account for the reasons why different citizens and states ascribe to them

KEY POINTS ON CONSERVATISM � The core spectrum that remain consistent in the conservative ideology include the following � High value on the existing systems and institutions inherited � Acceptance of human inequality and the social order � Recognition of the need for a sense of community among individuals and individual responsibility � Status quo belief in mankind's essential base � The irrational nature of humans

KEY POINTS ON LIBERALISM � Liberalism is founded on the following ideals � Idea of a contract between the people and their government � Right of revolution on the violation of the contract � Natural rights as provided to all people by the creator � Faith in and support of human rational potential � Limited powers of the government � Support for change (Muirhead & Rosenblum, 2006)

CONCLUSION � This presentation presented the definition of a political ideology � Political ideology was defined as a set of political ideas � The political ideologies discussed included liberalism and conservatism � The presentation concludes that the two ideologies present dynamic views in terms of political social and economic ideologies � The ideologies appeals to different people and everyone ascribes to one that appeals to him/her bettter

References � Muirhead, R. & Rosenblum, N. (2006). Political Liberalism vs. “The Great Game of Politics”: The Politics of Political Liberalism. Perspectives On Politics, 4(01).