1.3 Ideologies

Democratic capitalism

• Freedom to pursue self-interest in a free competitive market economy

• Being responsible for your own actions

• Limited government control of the marketplace

Liberalism

• Balance between individual freedoms and collective responsibility

• Equality of opportunity and equality under the law

• Human rights

• Political freedom with a democratic government

Social democracy

• Collective action for the benefit of all

• Economic and social equality under the law

• Human rights

• Environmental sustainability

Other ideologies

There are other ideologies that either have had or are having an impact on people throughout the world.

Fascism is an ideology which is based on a belief in the superiority of certain groups and races. It was a corruption of Darwinian theories and old imperial superiority.

Communism is an ideology stressing the needs of the collective good over the needs of the individual. It is based on the idea that control of resources should be for the good of all.

Some ideologies, like apartheid, affect only a portion of the population with the belief that races should be kept apart because one race is more superior then another. For example, the white race was considered superior in many African countries during and after colonial times. In South Africa, this was part of a government policy which limited the rights of black people, who were the majority of people in the country.

Ideologies and Globalization

An outgrowth of globalization has frequently led powerful nations to encourage or force their beliefs in economic and political systems on other nations. During the Cold War of the mid-twentieth century, the United States and Soviet Union tried to prove the superiority of their ideology by expanding their control of economic and sometimes political power in other countries. This class of global super powers led to proxy wars being fought in other nations for the sake of ideologies.

Perspective on Ideology

Abraham Lincoln felt very strongly that the words of the constitution of the United States—"that all men are created equal"—should apply to all the people. As a result, he resisted first the expansion of slavery and then championed the cause of freeing the slaves in his country. His strong belief in his ideology would lead to freedom for slaves after a terrible civil war.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier was the first French Canadian Prime Minister of Canada. He was a strong believer in the ideals of Canada and the ability of English and French to live together in harmony with compromise. He also pictured Canada as a growing nation with great promise. He encouraged growth in the West and laid the foundation for the Canadian navy. His ideology created the foundation for modern Canada.

Your belief in a particular political system, or even your lack of any belief, influences your actions. It will influence how you vote, or it may persuade you not to vote at all. In a democracy, the decisions of voters determine the world we want. People who believe strongly in an ideology have a strong sense of their identity and their actions are governed by it.