ideologji

Ideology is a system of beliefs, values, and ideas that shapes how people understand the world, interprets social relations, and justifies political or social arrangements. It provides a coherent worldview that guides perception and action, often blending descriptive explanations with normative goals.

The term ideology originated in the late 18th century; French philosopher Destutt de Tracy coined its scientific sense as the science of ideas. Over time, the term broadened to refer to organized sets of beliefs that justify particular social orders, and in critical discourse it is often used pejoratively to describe misrepresentations that support power structures. Marxist theory in particular saw ideology as a system that masks real conditions of production and class relations.

Ideologies may be descriptive, explaining how society is, or prescriptive, proposing how it should be. They vary across domains—economic, political, cultural—and can be held by individuals or groups. Political ideologies provide programs and frameworks for institutions, rights, and policies, and they tend to emphasize values such as liberty, equality, tradition, or solidarity. Ideology also shapes identity through stories, symbols, and narratives that mobilize collective action.

Critics argue that ideological thinking can oversimplify complex realities, enforce orthodoxy, or obscure power imbalances. The study of ideology, including concepts like hegemonic influence and ideological state apparatus, seeks to uncover hidden assumptions and assess competing interpretations.

In public life, ideologies interact with media, education, and institutions to influence debates, policy choices, and social norms.