1. What themes and characteristics should my ideology include?
Lesson 2 – Chapter 1 – p. 48

2. Characteristics of an Ideology – p. 49
What are humans like and why do they act as they do?’
How should society be organized?
How has the world worked in the past?
How should it work in the future?

3. Who or what shapes your ideology?
Parents
Friends
Media
Gender
Religion and Spirituality
Environment
Relationship to the land
Language
Government

4. Themes of Ideology – p. 50
Ideologies can be grouped according to the theme they tend to emphasize.
These themes are the foundations on which people base their beliefs.
They include:
nation
class
race
relationship to the land and the environment
gender
religion

5. Ideologies in Practice – p. 51
Read the following speech excerpts and identify the theme of each speaker.
Tommy Douglas – p.52
Milton Friedman – p.54
Ovide Mercredi – p. 55

6. Influential Philosophers
Over the centuries, many people have thought about, talked about, and written about human nature, and, in so doing, they have contributed to the development of ideologies.
The following philosophers have had a profound impact on shaping Western ideologies:
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

7. Thomas Hobbes ( )
Human nature is characterized by fear, violence and dangerous self interest – extreme individualism is the problem
To avoid such a constant state of war individuals should surrender their rights to a higher authority like a monarch or a dictator – he called this authority Leviathan
Leviathan’s job was to protect the governed from harm – peace and order were possible under the rule of a strong leader who could control resources to repel foreign invasions
Many proponents of democracy believe that Hobbes placed too much faith and power in one leader

8. John Locke (1632 – 1704)
Disagreed with Hobbes – people were rational, intelligent and reasonable
Power at this time rested on the doctrine known as the divine right of kings – power was granted by God
He believed that all humans were created equal and had natural rights – right to live and have property - and these rights could not be taken away
Government should interfere as little as possible in man’s activities
Also believed that any government action had to be justified by popular consent representative democracy – quote about taxation on p. 17

9. Jean- Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778)
Believed that people are generally good and that man is corrupted by society – “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.”
Believed in the Social Contract – the theory that a gov’t can not wield its authority by force alone but must have the written consent (constitution) of the governed
The people had the authority – citizens themselves should make laws directly
Man serves his own good by serving the common good

10. Beliefs about the Structure of Society
Society can be seen as having three main parts:
informal social structures
economic structures
political structures.
What these structures are like can depend on the beliefs and values of the people who live in the society and their worldview, which can change over time.

11. Informal social structures
and Values
in Society
Beliefs
Economic structures
An economic system or approach to
economic decision making for a particular
country or society, such as operating according
to communism or capitalism or choosing to
provide health care or private hospitals
Political structures
A political system or
approach to political
decision making for a
particular country or
society, such as operating
according to dictatorship
or democracy or the
principle of citizen
obedience or the
right to question
Informal social structures
Unwritten rules that
are understood by people
who live in the society,
such as respect for seniors
or appropriate approaches
for social interaction

12. Informal Social Structures of Society
Informal social structures are the unwritten rules about acceptable social behaviour and actions.
EX: In some societies it is considered good manners to belch loudly to show that you enjoyed your host’s meal, while public belching is frowned upon in other societies.
These structures also evolve and change constantly.
EX: think about how technologies such as the Internet and cellphones have changed our behaviours and how we interact with one another.

13. Economic Structures of Society
The salaries that people earn, what work they do, and who benefits from their work can tell a great deal about the beliefs and values of a society.
Capitalists - believe that prices and wages should be set by the free market, that is, by supply and demand.
Individuals are responsible for themselves, that they should be self-reliant, and that they should be free from government restrictions.
people are motivated to work hard because of the profit motive

14. Economic Structures of Society
Communists - believe that the government has an obligation to step in and make sure that all its citizens are provided for within a country.
believe that capitalism creates a society with big differences between high and low income earners – a gap between the rich and the poor
believes that the government should help distribute resources so that everyone within a country has the basics.

15. Economic Structures of Society
Communists - believe that a society’s values should be concerned about the collective (the group), not the individual.
Communism maintains that people in such a society would be motivated to work hard because they would want to make sure that everyone is provided for and does not suffer.

16. Economic Spectrum Communism Capitalism Society (through government)
is responsible for the well-being
of its members
Individuals are responsible
for their own well-being

17. Political Structures of Society
All societies are organized so that the people who live in and are governed by them know how to behave “properly.”
Democracy - a good citizen can disagree with and challenge the government.
Non-democratic society - a good citizen is one who agrees with or obeys the government.
We regulate our political structure through government and the law.

18. Democratic Socialism Capitalism Communism Fascism
Maximum political freedom for individuals
Democratic
Socialism
Capitalism
Communism
Fascism
Maximum
economic control
by government
Maximum
economic
freedom for
individuals
Maximum political control by government individuals