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The Ideological Spectrum

• Political Ideology• The Spectrum

Political Ideology

Defining Ideology• A political ideology is an organized and coherent set of ideas that

forms a perspective on the political world and how it works.• In some nations, the ideological spectrum is quite broad, stretching

from traditional monarchists on the right to communists on the left.• In the United States, the ideological spectrum is bound by a political

structure that highlights democracy and capitalism.• Nonetheless, this still leaves room for Americans to differ on how

large a role government should play in the nation’s social and economic life.

Political Ideology

Defining Spectrum• Traditional thought assumed that ideology in America was best

conceived on a left/right, liberal/conservative continuum.• Many scholars now contend that the traditional distinction between

liberals and conservatives does not capture the range and variety of political ideology in America.• Americans differ both on the extent of government involvement in

the economy and on the extent of government involvement in securing and expanding personal freedoms.

The Spectrum

    Government Involvement in Securing and Expanding Personal Freedoms

  For Against

Government Involvement in the 

Economy

For Liberal Populist

Against Libertarian Conservative

The Spectrum

Liberal• A person who supports government intervention in the economy and

the expansion of personal freedoms.• A liberal favors taxes high enough for government to deliver a crucial

range of services including education, healthcare, job training, and other supports to all who need them.• Liberals also favor government action to expand and protect

individual rights and opportunities including the rights of minorities, women, and gays to enjoy the full range of opportunities and choices offered by American life.

The Spectrum

Conservative• One who opposes government intervention in the economy but supports

government restrictions on personal freedoms.• A conservative favors smaller, less expensive, government that protects property,

personal security, and social order.• Conservatives believe that markets and competition distribute opportunities and

rewards to individuals in society far better than government.• On the other hand, conservatives believe that government should foster religion,

morality, the family, and law and order as the bases for social order.• Hence, conservatives often favor increased spending on the military and police as

well as legal regulation of pornography, abortion, affirmative action, and sexual activity.

The Spectrum

Libertarian• A person who opposes government intervention both in the economic

sector and in the private lives of citizens.• A libertarian favors the maximum of human freedom and personal choice

consonant with social order.• Hence, libertarians often agree with conservatives that government should

be small and inexpensive, but with liberals that women should be able to choose abortions and gays should be able to choose their marriage partners.• Libertarians favor a government limited to national defense, the protection

of persons and property, and little more.

The Spectrum

Populist• One who supports government activity in the economy but opposes the expansion of

personal freedoms.• A populist favors an activist government, but expects it to defend the traditional social

order.• Hence, populists tend to agree with liberals on the size of government and the range of

its activities and with conservatives on the importance of traditional social and religious morals.• Populists usually want government to be active in supporting individual opportunity and

advancement, to provide access to education, health care, job training, and unemployment compensation when it is needed.• They usually oppose social changes, whether in regard to minorities or women, that run

ahead of traditional values and norms.

The Spectrum

Moderate• Does not signify an ideology but a way of looking at government problems and solutions.• Moderates navigate towards the center.• It’s about compromise.Greens• They are liberals that place environmental and quality of life issues ahead of traditional

economic issues.• Greens agree with liberals and libertarians that individual rights should be respected, but

they agree with conservatives and populists that communities are the contexts within which individuals thrive or fail to thrive.

• Greens often focus on local governments and local issues, focusing on equality of life issues like traffic patterns, roads and parks, and public safety, including air, water, noise, and visual pollution.

Conclusion

• Our political ideology determines where we are on the political spectrum.• The political spectrum in the United States works on two different

axis:• How much government involvement there should be in the economy• How much government involvement there should be in securing and

expanding personal freedoms

• Where we are on the political spectrum determines to which party we will more closely align ourselves.