Chapter 4
Ideology and the liberal tradition
Chapter Summary
We perceive the political world via a complex set of prisms or concepts; they enable us to more clearly understand political ideas. Ideology is a kind of applied philosophy. It can be classified on the right–left continuum, a flawed but still much-used form, and there are alternatives to it. The liberal tradition, based on rights, freedom and representation, developed from the seventeenth century and set the ground rules for political activity during the nineteenth and twentieth. Classical liberalism elevated the market economy, but the New Liberalism, which was concerned to protect society from its excesses, still provides the rationale for the welfare state and the mixed economy.
John Rawls produced a philosophical defence of liberal political structures, and Fukuyama adduced the theory that liberalism had finally triumphed. However, the faltering of West-ern economies over the past half century has posed new questions to both of these philosophical positions.
Learning Objectives
- To explain the key concepts relevant to the study of political ideas in the UK.
- To clarify the concept of ideology and the way it is classified.
- To trace the transition of liberal ideas from their ‘revolutionary’ inception to accepted orthodoxy.
- To show how classical liberalism developed into new liberalism, the creed that set the social agenda for the next century and embedded the ‘enabling’ or ‘procedural’ values of a democratic society.
Quizzes
Test your knowledge with the Chapter 4 quizzes!
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Discussion Questions
- The term ‘democracy’ encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices in modern politics. What are some of the core tenants of democracy, and how have these been displayed and/or contested in British politics?
- The ideas of classical liberalism from the mid-nineteenth century, once viewed as opposing the norms of politics, developed into the new normal by the early twentieth century. How does the liberal tradition incorporate itself into British politics today?
Weblinks
The World’s Smallest Political Quiz – A tool for identifying one’s ideological position based on libertarian principles. (http://libertarianism.com)
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy – A free online resource providing academic explanations of philosophical ideas. (www.iep.utm.edu)
Pew Research Center – A global research institute offering surveys and analysis on political and social trends. (www.pewresearch.org)
Flashcards
Refresh your knowledge of key terms with this chapter’s flashcards.
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Timeline
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