Political ideologies: the battle of ideas

T he study of politics from at least the time of Plato onwards has attached particular importance to political ideas. Ideas, it is suggested, can change the world. There is nothing so important as an idea whose time has come. In this chapter we explore political ideas, and the impact of particular political perspectives or ideologies on political behaviour. We examine the development of the British versions of the ‘mainstream’ ideologies, liberalism, conservatism and socialism, and their changing inter-relationship over time with the major political parties. We also look at other ideologies such as nationalism, racism, feminism and green thinking. We conclude with a discussion of the impact of globalization on political thinking, and the renewal of the ‘end of ideology’ debate.