THEORETICAL AND COMPARATIVE STUDY ON POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES Name: Institution:

Human history has challenged men in the course of their lives 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).