Summary
Assighnment 1
- An ideology is a person’s or a group’s set of values, beliefs, and ideals. It frequently refers to a collection of political values or concepts that define a community. Ideologies reflect or influence perceptions of the social and political environment and might be held consciously or unconsciously. They promote loyalty to a certain set of principles or societal change. An ideology is essentially a framework for comprehending the world and directing actions towards it.
- Conservatives typically prioritize individuality and support a free market, less regulation, fewer taxes, and a smaller government. Liberals are more likely to be collectivist. This distinction shows up in economic policy, as liberals may favor government attempts to combat inequality while conservatives may favor tax cuts to boost the economy. On social problems, these philosophies vary as well; liberals favor social progress, while conservatives tend to uphold developed values.
- Based on Althusser, ideology is a system of representations that influence the way individuals see themselves in society. These representations include concepts, ideas, myths, and pictures. It’s a structure that affects our ability to view the world and our place in it, rather than necessarily an intentional belief system. By portraying them as unavoidable and natural, ideology serves to uphold the current power systems. One ideology that can be used to defend economic inequality is the idea that success is always the result of hard labor. Regardless of their true circumstances, this idea pushes people to accept their place in society.
