1. Keeping in mind the material covered in this lesson, describe how you understand ideology in YOUR OWN WORDS. 

After reviewing Module 3, reading the excerpt from “Democracy for the Few” by Michael Parenti and watching “Political Ideology: Crash Course Government and Politics”, I understand ideology as a set of specific beliefs that strongly influence the way we view and operate ourselves in society. Political ideologies can be influenced by religion and seeing that society wants to be seen and heard in their beliefs through the party system, politicians can rally voters of similar ideologies to stand behind them. 

As stated above, political ideologies can strongly influence how society operates. Another example of the extent of influence is during the aftermath of the Haitian Revolution. Haiti’s president at the time, Toussaint Louverture, wished for the other side of Hispaniola (modern day the Dominican Republic) to be united with them, and his views were very socialist leaning. At the time, the Dominican Republic was heavily affected by Spanish influence, so when Louverture ended slavery for the island and became the sole President some of his views were not well welcomed. Dominicans had worked hard under Spanish influence and a lot of people owned multiple lots of lands, homes and cattle. When Louverture set new rules that caused people to give up their land in order to allow everyone to have a piece of land, they rejected him. 

2. How do you understand the difference between conservative and liberal ideology in US politics? What seem to be the big differences, the dividing line? Given an example to back up your arguments.

The key ideological differences between liberals and conservatives in US politics can be seen in how the conservative influence entails rejecting higher tax rates, large government regulation and government social programs while the liberal influence entails enforcing higher tax rates for the 1% and  the government intervention in the economy through social programs. An example of the ideological differences is shown in the most recent bipartisan tax bill the house passed that is on its way to the senate, the talk of the conservative side is if it was to be passed, it would make the liberals look good so they should not pass it.

3. How do you understand Althusser’s definition of ideology? Paraphrase it in your own words. Given an example. 

I understand Althusser’s definition of ideology as the act of getting a population to act against their own interest and justify a certain belief while preventing change to the status quo. An example of this in American politics is the voting system. The government allows us to vote so we feel compelled enough to rally behind politicians and feel like we have a say in what happens when in reality we do not.

1. Why do think Southern racist politicians chose to frame their defense of racial segregation through the language of “law and order”? What special advantages was this choice of words going to give them?

• After reading the second excerpt out of Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” I was able to conclude that the Southern racist politicians chose to frame their defense of racial segregation as “law and order” due to the fact that this was the easiest way to shift the blame onto the “violent” Civil Rights Movement. It was advantageous for them to use those words because it allowed them to legally rally enough voters who supported segregation to help them support their cause without legal repercussions.

2. Do you think the Southern Strategy is still influencing American politics? Give an example supporting your answer.

• In my opinion, the Southern Strategy is still influencing American politics in many ways. One example I would give is the way the current primary elections are going and how the politicians like Donald Trump utilize hurtful and abusive language against minority communities knowing he has the backing of similar minded people like him. Politicians often walk the line in what they say because they know their supporters agree with them even if it is something illegal, unethical or immoral.

M. Alexander claims that the main explanation of why so many people are sent to jail in the U.S. today is deeply wrong. Explain her argument by referring to the various examples she mentions to backup her point. (see p. 1-2)

• While reading Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow”, Alexander expresses that the reason a vast majority of the U.S. population is sent to jail is due to the rise in drug convictions due to the War on Drugs. Alexander emphasizes her argument by noting that “In less than thirty years, the U.S penal population exploded from around 300,000 to more than 2 million, with drug convictions accounting for the majority of the increase.” (Alexander 6)

2. Why is it that racial disparities in the rates of incarceration “cannot be explained by rates of drug crimes”?

• Alexander explains that the racial disparities in rates of incarceration “cannot be explained by rates of drug crimes” by communicating how studies show that people from all backgrounds and races intake and distribute drugs and if a particular group was noted as the most likely outlier in these studies, it would be young white youth.

3. How do you understand the phrase: “the American penal system has emerged as a system of social control unparalleled in world history.”?

• How I interpret the phrase “the American penal system has emerged as a system of social control unparalleled in world history.” is with the meaning that the U.S. will use the penal system as a way to put fear into Americans with mass incarceration and enforce an agenda bigger than one person with the purpose to control the masses.