What is ideology?

Ruling a society is similar to running a machine with many different cogwheels. Each cog is important. If one gets stuck, the whole machine will stop working.

An ideology is made up of the political principles for how a society should be organised and governed. Those who govern in the spirit of a certain ideology want all of that society to be run accordingly. It is a system of ideas and ideals on sociopolitical life.

An ideology will use many means to achieve its goals. This could be through revolution or war, or through democratic processes.

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Man’s place in life

Ideologies can explain man’s place in life and society. Things that happened in the past will have an impact on the future. Different ideologies lay out different views on how we should live together and how society should be organised.

It is important that we find solutions to spreading power, benefits, and burdens within society. The benefits are the advantages one has in a given society, and the burdens are things that are difficult and demanding.

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Are all people of equal value?

When people are motivated by ideologies, it can cause big changes in the lives of individuals, for society as a whole and for the world that we live in. An ideology also brings with it a view  on the value of human life.

📷  Auschwitz was the largest German concentration camp during the Second World War and is located in Poland.

Here are some important questions to reflect upon:

  • Are all human beings worth the same?
  • Who has the right to make decisions about other people?
  • How does the ideology view democracy?
  • Should the government or citizens run society? 
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When did modern ideologies arise?

Modern ideologies began in the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century. From then onward, society was to be organised based on reason and science, and not on the basis of belief in an Almighty God.

The industrial revolution that followed starting in  the 1770s created huge economic and social changes. With the development of factories and new industries, towns grew larger and different ideologies tried to justify and explain new social structures.

Each ideology wanted to show the way to a better society. The industrial revolution brought with it radical change, and different groups of people had different views and opinions about how these changes could best serve man.

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Interests of different groups

In the latter half of the 18th century, there were several revolutions in Europe. Different groups of people  wanted to change the way societies were run and governed, often to their own benefit, and this would lead to war. The revolutions created positive effects across society for some people, whilst being negative for others.

📷   Street fighting during the French revolution

Citizens wanted to secure their political and economic freedom. The upper class and the royals would fight any disturbance and regain the traditional position of the group. The working class that grew during the industrial revolution had strong views on the creation of fair and humane working environments.

To meet the needs of each of these groups, different ideologies were created.

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Kampene under den Franske revolusjonen
Kampene under den Franske revolusjonen

The most common ideologies:

En knyttet neve malt på en rødmalt vegg
En knyttet neve malt på en rødmalt vegg

Other ideologies

  • Anarchism looks at the state as unwelcome and harmful. They believe that society can govern itself without any political or hierarchical structure.
  • Green ideology aims to manage nature and the climate in the best possible way. This can be done through democratic processes, peace work, and pacifism.
  • Feminism is not one ideology, but rather a set of ideologies. Common features are equality and justice for women. Today, the right to decide on abortion is an important and topical issue in many places across the world.
Vindmøller
Vindmøller

Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism is a religious ideology that gives great importance to holy scriptures. The Jews have the Tanakh, the Christians have the Bible and the Muslims have the Koran. Fundamentalists try to understand the texts to highlight the original message of the texts. 

Fundamentalists are missionaries and often use technology to help spread their messages. Politics or religions that threaten their ideology are considered enemies and armed conflicts may arise.

Mann peker og holder opp en bibel
Mann peker og holder opp en bibel

Political ideology in the UK

Political parties in the UK

There are a number of political parties in the UK, but the two main parties are the Conservative Party and Labour Party. These political parties have changed over the years, but some key traits remain the same.

The Conservative Party

British Conservatives believe in the following:

  • Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should remain as part of the United Kingdom.
  • Free markets and education should create an opportunity for all.
  • Bold reforms to welfare and vocational skills are central to handling social injustice.
  • Innovation, entrepreneurship, and free business are important in society.
  • The welfare state should be there for the sick and those in need; those who can find employment and careers should be supported to do so.
  • There should be less immigration to the United Kingdom.
  • There should be no changes made to how elections are held in Britain.

The Labour Party

Most Labour Party supporters believe in the following:

  • The government should invest money in expanding and upgrading public transport (e.g. buses and trains).
  • Tax on billion and multi-million-pound businesses should be higher.
  • People with an income in the top 5% should pay more taxes.
  • Support for trade unions.
  • A minimum wage should be set for all workers.
  • Support workers’ rights.
  • Support the welfare state.

Other political parties

There are a number of other parties that hold a small number of seats in the Houses of Commons, these are:

  • Scottish National Party
  • Liberal Democrats
  • Northern Ireland Parties
  • Plaid Cymru
  • The Green Party
  • UK Independence Party
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Stortinget
Stortinget

General Elections

Every five years there is a general election held in the UK. All UK citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote for the political party that they feel does the best possible job for the people of the UK.

En som stemmer på stortingsvalget med det norske flagget i bakgrunnen
En som stemmer på stortingsvalget med det norske flagget i bakgrunnen

Sources:

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