1. POSC 1000 Introduction to Politics
Russell Alan Williams

2. Unit Three: Politics and Ideology
Required Reading: Wood and MacLean, Chap 3.
Unit Objectives:
Explore political philosophy and key ideologies
Outline:
Introduction – Political Phillosophy
Liberalism
Conservatism
Socialism
Nationalism & Fascism
Newer Ideologies

3. 1) Introduction – Theory (?):
The oldest tradition of writing and thinking about politics focuses on the content of political ideas
“Political Philosophy”: Study of questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, justice and morality based on logical reasoning rather than empirical method
= Political theory, or ideas about how we are, or should, be governed
= Ideologies that drive political debate

4. A brief history of political philosophy . . . .
Plato ( ) “The Republic”
Goal of politics in Greek democracies was order
The Republic needed to ensure everyone was in their proper place, the work of a “benevolent” power
“Utopian”: Idealized system or
society

5. Niccolo Machiavelli Plato (1469-1527) “The Prince”
Response to the problems of order – a guidebook for how to succeed in governing a state
Key idea: “Political Realism”: Approach to politics that emphasizes the importance of power and interests over ideology or morals and ethics
A wise (and virtuous?) prince does what is necessary to secure the state – power is its own virtue
Many critics – much of the subsequent tradition seek universal standards of justice and ethics E.g. “liberalism”

6. Most important contemporary movement in political philosophy?
“Social Constructivism”: Sociological and political theory that explains political interactions in terms of the ideas imprinted on individuals by society
There are no universal norms, as “identities” vary depending on culture, gender etc.
Critical of the universalism of “Liberalism”
E.g. Judith Butler ( )
How do we judge what is “right” or “good” for society, or the individual?

7. 2) Political Ideologies - Liberalism
“Ideology”: System of ideas that form the basis of a political or economic system and provide ideas about the goals of society and governments
Each is descriptive – how the world works
Each is prescriptive – how the world should be
Most modern ideologies derive from the Enlightenment:
18th century intellectual movement
Human reason could be more effectively used to understand an improve the world
Challenged traditional role of Church and faith?

8. Organizing ideologies:
a) “Left vs. Right continuum” - Based on attitudes towards free market capitalism & traditional values
“Left”: Support greater social and economic equality, oppose traditional religious values (?)
“Right”: Support traditional values, oppose state “innovations” to promote equality
Popular typology, but problematic
E.g. “Totalitarianism”: States that attempt to control all aspects
of life
Popular typology, but problematic
E.g. “Totalitarian” states: Those that attempt to control all aspects of life
Many new ideologies don’t fit
Most movements are now centrist
Better way is to organize ideologies based on the content of the ideas:
i) View of how the world “is” = Description
ii) View of how the world should be = Prescription
iii) View of what must be opposed = Proscription

9. Liberal thought:
“Liberalism”: A view of politics that favors liberty, free trade, and moderate social and political change.
Focus on the rights of the individual in relation to the state
“Self Determination”: Ability to act on free choices without external coercion
Requires a system of consent for governments – E.g. “General Will”: Will of the whole community.
Requires a system for protecting the rights of individuals against the “General Will” – e.g. “Toleration”: Acceptance or protection of individuals, groups and types of behavior that may be disapproved of by the majority in society
“Liberal Democracy”: Political system based on freedom. Requires that governments have the assent of all citizens through representative electoral institutions and the rule of law which limits the power of governments.
Insert a map of your country.

10. Economic liberalism - Adam Smith
Types of Liberalism:
Classical Liberalism: Committed to limited government and the free market
“negative liberty”
E.g. John Locke ( )
Economic liberalism - Adam Smith
“Invisible Hand””: Markets are better than government in allocating resources – let individuals and business freely interact
Many classical liberals not concerned about liberal democracy
E.g. Fear of “selfish mob”

11. Reform Liberalism: Support for individual freedom etc
Reform Liberalism: Support for individual freedom etc., but belief that some state involvement necessary to remove obstacles to individual development.
Combine equal rights with equal opportunity And “positive liberty”
E.g. State funding for education – create opportunity for all
Closely associated with Keynesianism and social welfare programs

12. 3) Conservatism: Critical response to enlightenment liberalism
Emphasizes value of order, stability and tradition.
Source: Edmund Burke
( )
Note: Conservatism has much in common with pre-enlightenment thinking  Religious values and human nature

13. Ideas of conservatism are complex and contradictory(?)
Problem: Humans are weak
= need for authority to check irresponsible desires
= ineffective government “innovations” in society
Paternalism: Elites have a responsibility to look after society not pursue their own interests
Support institutions and ideas that promote stability and social order
E.g. Marriage, family and religion
Skepticism about experimentation:
Traditional institutions good even if reason suggests otherwise
E.g. The British Monarchy
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

14. Economic conservatives: Shared values with Classical Liberals
Types of conservatism?
Economic conservatives: Shared values with Classical Liberals
E.g. “Neo-liberalism”: Rejection of reform liberalism – return to limited state interference in economy
Often associated with “Neo-conservatism”
New Right: Critical reaction to rise of reform liberalism and new ideologies like feminism
Combine neo-liberalism with conservative social values
Some times internally at odds
Social (or traditional) Conservatives – Traditional values more important than economic conservatism
E.g. Paternalism and “Red Torys”
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15. Reactionary Conservatives: Those who favor a radical return to traditional (?) values
Not really an ideology, but . . .
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16. 4) Socialism:
Major source of 19th and 20th century opposition to liberalism
Egalitarian focus on human society – humans are entitled to equal outcomes
“Capitalism” undermines social nature of human communities
Critical response to liberalism and free markets – benefits the “Bourgeois” at the expense of others
Key source: Karl Marx ( )
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

17. Economic equality – “equality of condition” rather than equal rights
Focus:
Economic equality – “equality of condition” rather than equal rights
Requires “class conflict”
State intervention
Redistribution
Social ownership of “means of production”
E.g. “Communism”: Political theory that highlights class struggle to form a system where all property is publically owned and citizens are equally compensated
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

18. 5) Nationalism and Fascism:
“Nationalism” = the most important ideology of the 20th century
Based on belief that “peoples” have shared language, culture, history that differentiates them from other nationalities
Justification for independence and statehood
Justification for imperialism and international conflict
Conflict with “Liberalism”?
Created through popular culture and “Propaganda”: Spreading information (true or not) for the purpose of aiding a cause or making people react in a certain way

20. “Fascism/Fascist”: Aggressive nationalism combined with an acceptance of inequality as natural
Liberalism and socialism are “utopian” failures.

21. 6) Newer Ideologies:
Status as ideologies more uncertain – have only begun to influence the way people think about politics . . .
i) “Feminism”: Perspective that seeks equality and independence of women
Focused on “patriarchy”: System in which power is in the hands of men and in which women’s lives are controlled by men.
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

22. “Liberal Feminism”: Focuses on equal legal and political rights
Types:
“Liberal Feminism”: Focuses on equal legal and political rights
End legal patriarchy
E.g. the struggle for “Suffrage”
End legal structures based on sloppy thinking about gender, sex and sexuality
E.g. the modern “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender Movement (LGBT)”: Seeks to reform legal structures to reflect diversity in sexual and gender identities
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

23. Patriarchy is not just legal, it is also economic and personal
“Radical Feminism”: Society based fundamentally on oppression of women.
Patriarchy is not just legal, it is also economic and personal
Results in wider critiques of the images of women in society
“Objectification” and sexism
Results in wider discussion of the limitations of liberal rights
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24. ii) “Environmentalism”:
Sees need for humans to change relationship with nature
Politics and economics must be limited by natural constraints of ecosystem - traditional ideologies ignore this
“Anthropocentrism” vs. “Ecocentrism”
“Sustainable Development”: Model of economic Growth that seeks to ensure that the use of resources today does not destroy the environment for those in the future
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

25. 7) For next time:
Unit Four: The Functions of Governments (January 28 and 30)
Required Reading: MacLean and Wood, Chapter 4.
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