Ideologies

Ideologies are coherent sets of beliefs about politics, society, and economy that aim to guide collective action. They provide a framework for understanding how societies work, what values should prevail, and how power should be organized.

Most ideologies combine descriptive claims about the world with normative aims and policy proposals. They offer a theory of history, a set of core values such as liberty, equality, or community, and a program for political reform.

Ideologies are prescriptive and mobilizing. They can be secular or religious, reformist or revolutionary, inclusive or exclusive. They shape parties, social movements, and public institutions, and influence how problems are defined and what remedies are considered legitimate.

Common examples include liberalism, conservatism, socialism, libertarianism, feminism, environmentalism, nationalism, and religious or ethnic ideologies. In practice, individuals may hold elements from several ideologies, and positions can shift over time.

Scholars study ideologies to understand political behavior, power dynamics, and policy outcomes. Critics caution that ideologies can oversimplify complex situations, justify coercion, or polarize debate, while supporters argue they provide a necessary basis for principled action.