PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE

 Lesson 2- Political Ideologies

(Weeks 2-3)

I. Introduction
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Define political ideology.
2. Differentiate political ideologies.
3. Create poster about the impact of political ideology in the society.

II. Discussion
An ideology is a system of political beliefs; an action oriented set of political ideas. Many define ideology
as the world view of a particular social class or a social group; the ideas of the ruling class. The term
ideology was first coined by Antoine Destutt de Tracy during the French Revolution. He referred ideology to the new
science of ideas.

In social studies, a political ideology is a certain set of ethical ideals, principles, doctrines, myths or symbols of a social
institution, class or large group that explains how society should work and offers some political and cultural blueprint for a
certain social order. For instance, President Duterte has described himself as left leaning during his campaign and
presidency, but has stressed that he was not a communist, but a socialist.

A political ideology largely concerns itself with how to allocate power and to what ends it should be used. Some political
parties follow a certain ideology very closely while others may take broad inspiration from a group of related ideologies
without specifically embracing any one of them. The popularity of an ideology is in part due to the influence of moral
entrepreneurs, who sometimes act in their own interests. Political ideologies have two dimensions: (1) goals: how society
should be organized; and (2) methods: the most appropriate way to achieve this goal.

MAJOR POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES AND THEIR KEY TENETS (Heywood 2013)

 Political authority in all its form, and especially in the form of the state, is both evil and unnecessary
(anarchy literally means ‘without rule’).
1. ANARCHISM  The sovereign, compulsory, and coercive authority of the state is seen as a nothing less than
legalized oppression operating in the interests of the powerful, propertied, and privileged.
 Anarchist prefers a stateless society. Individuals can best manage their own affairs through voluntary
agreement and cooperation.
 Tradition must be conserve. These traditions include established customs, institutions, and ways of
doing things that have endured through time.
 The belief in pragmatism highlights the limits of human reason. As a belief, pragmatism emphasizes
that the action should be shaped by practical circumstances and goals.
 Human imperfection presents the pessimistic view of conservatives on the individual. Accordingly,
individuals are morally corrupt and are therefore the sources of crime and disorder. Order could thus
be achieved through a strong state.
2.CONSERVATISM  Conservatives believe that society is an organic whole and is a living entity, more than being an
artifact of human ingenuity. This belief is known as organicism.
 Conservatives also believe that social position and status are only natural. With this, hierarchy is
thought to be inevitable.
 Authority must be exercised from above. Leadership is provided to guide and support those who lack
knowledge and education and those who have little capacity to act for their own interest.
 Conservatives look at property as significant because it is the individual’s source of security and
independence from the government.
 Ultranationalist ideology. As such, it subscribes to the idea of a supreme race, whose members
should enjoy the natural resources. It is by nature exclusive as it excludes nonmembers of the race.
 Manifested during Mussolini’s facist dictatorship in Italy and Hitler’s dictatorship in Germany.
3. FACISM  Common values upheld are struggle, leadership, power, heroism, and war.
 The “new man” or a hero who is motivated by duty, honor, and self-sacrifice; and gives unrelenting
obedience to the supreme leader is a fascist ideal.
 Fascists believe in a unified national community of strength through unity. As such, individual identity
is not as important as that of the social group or community
4. FEMINISM  A diverse but its unifying theme is the desire to enhance the social role of women.
 Society is characterized by sexual or gender equality.
  The structure of male power must be overturned, hence the belief in gender equality.
 Its strands include liberal feminism, socialist feminism and radical feminism.
 Belief in individualism underscores the importance of the human individual compared to any other
group.
 Liberty of the individual must be protected. An individual has freedom when he or she is able to act
as he or she pleases.
 Reason can lead individuals to make wise judgments, which could solve issues or differences.
5. LIBERALISM  Equality implies that individuals are born equal, at least in moral terms. Equal rights and entitlements
are at its core. It must be noted , however, that liberals do not endorse social equality or equality of
outcome,
 Tolerance is willingness of individuals to allow others to think and behave in ways they do not
approve. It is a guarantee of individual liberty.
 Authority and social relationships must also be based on agreement and consent
 Belief in the community highlights the degree to which the individual is connected with others. Identify
is therefore a product of social interaction more than innate qualities.
 Brotherhood or fraternity speaks of a shared common humanity Socialist thus prefer cooperation
rather than competition and collectivity rather than individualism.
6. SOCIALISM  Socialists look at society in terms of differences in the distribution of income or wealth. Social class is
believed to be an important social cleavage, which divides societies. The interests of the working class
and the oppressed should be upheld. With this, eradicating economic and social inequalities is
deemed as the primary goal of socialism.
 Common ownership is also central to socialist thought. Unlike private property, common ownership is
a means to harness material resources for the common good.
 Historical materialism or the materialist conception of history provides that the economy (mode
of production) conditions all other aspects of social life including law, government, politics and
education.
 The dialect, a process of interaction between competing forces, drives change and leads to a
7. MARXISM higher stage of development. Historical change is therefore a consequence of contradictions in
the mode of production, as reflected in class conflict.
 The exploitation of the proletariat (workers) by the capitalists would develop class
consciousness among the former, hence ushering a proletarian revolution which will facilitate the
creation of a communist society.
 Social democrats stand for a balance between the market and the state, and between the
individual and the community
 This ideology promotes compromise between the acceptance of capitalism and the distribution
8.SOCIAL of wealth according to moral, rather than market principles.
DEMOCRACY  Social democratic thought is concerned with the weak, the vulnerable, and the underdog
 Compassion, common humanity, freedom, equal opportunities, paternal duty, and care are
among the values social democracy recognizes.
 This ideology is linked with the emergence of environmental movement. It also rose as a revolt
against industrialization.
 It is concerned with the damages brought by economic development and by the declining
9. GREEN POLITICS/ quality of human existence.
ECOLOGISM  Conventional ideologies are a vehicle of ecologism. Eco-socialism looks at the destruction of
the environment due to capitalism; ecofeminism traces this crisis to male power; and
ecoconservatism links the cause of conservation to the desire to preserve tradition and
institutions
 Ideological expression of globalization
 It is a belief in a cosmopolis or a word state. It is thus associated with the project of world
10. government.
COSMOPOLITANISM  Modern cosmopolitanism tends to have a moral or a cultural character, believing that the world
constitutes a single moral community.
 Cosmoploitanism focuses on the idea that all other people in the world have obligations to each
other regardless of nationality, ethnicity, and the like.

III. Engagement
WRITTEN WORK
ACTIVITY 1: Complete the chart below to compare and contrast the different major political
ideologies. Write your answer in a short bond paper.
 POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

1. Conservatism and Liberalism

2. Anarchism and Feminism

3. Fascisms and Socialism

4. Marxism and Social democracy

5. Green Politics/ Ecologism and

Cosmopolitanism

ACTIVITY 2 (PERFORMANCE TASK): Among the different political ideologies, which of them do you agree with most
and why? Make a symbol of it and provide an explanation.

Rubric: Content/ relevance to the topic – 20pts

Creativity-7pts
Organization- 3pts

SYMBOL EXPLANATION

IV. Application
WRITTEN WORK
ACTIVITY 3: Answer the following questions briefly and concisely.

1. Which among the different Political Ideologies best fit in the Philippines and Why?
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2. What do you think is the political ideology of President Rodrigo Duterte? Justify.
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ACTIVITY 4 (PERFORMANCE TASK):

Directions: Choose one among the major political ideologies that we discussed. Draw/ create poster slogan that will
promote awareness to the public about the impact of political ideology that you have chosen in the society and make a
brief explanation on that. Use separate sheet of short bond paper for your poster slogan

Rubric: Content/ relevance to the topic – 40pts

Creativity-7pts
Organization- 3pts

REFLECTION:
In this lesson, I learned that _______________________________________________________________________
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