Do you ever wonder how other people become Anarchists, Marxists, Trotskyites, Social Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, Moderates, Conservatives, and a whole bunch of other political beings?
What accounts for one's political beliefs?
Ideology
Form of social or political philosophy in which practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones. The term was coined in 1796 by the French writer Antoine-Louis-Claude, Comte Destutt de Tracy (b. 1754 — d. 1836), as a label for his "science of ideas." Certain characteristics of his thought proved generally true of ideologies, including a more or less comprehensive theory of society, a political program, anticipation of a struggle to implement that program (thus requiring committed followers), and intellectual leadership. Destutt de Tracy's ideas were adopted by the French Revolutionary government in building its version of a democratic, rational, and scientific society. Napoleon first gave the term a negative connotation with his scorn for what he called ideologues. Ideology is often contrasted unfavourably with pragmatism. The significance of ideology follows from the fact that power is rarely exercised without some ideas or beliefs that justify support.
(Ideology Surfing by David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Star, Buy this cartoon)
The use of the term 'ideology' is not without controversy. There is an easy-to-understand definition as well as several alternative ones. Achieving unanimity on the definition of ideology is analogous to Harvard Professor Graham Allison's definition of 'bureaucratic politics' as an explanatory theory of international relations: "where you stand depends on where you sit." Lacking consensus perhaps -- and without delving too much into political philosophies of various stripes -- when I refer to the term 'ideology' for the purposes of stimulating a discussion here, what I'm really referring to is one's 'political beliefs' even as I use these terms interchangeably.
During the forty-five years of the Cold War (1946-1991), the references to political ideology were quite prevalent in movies, television, radio, literature, and the press. Beginning in the late 1980's and until the early 1990's, it seemed for a while that political ideology had died a sudden death. Its demise had been predicted long before that although it didn't happen until the Cold War - quoting poet and author T.S. Eliot - ended "not with a bang but a whimper." For the United States, lacking an external ideological foe, a political era had come to an end. As one analyst boasted at the time, the demise of the Soviet Union meant that the "unipolar moment" had arrived. Another political analyst foolishly - and prematurely - predicted "the end of history." Were the days of passionate political debate over, to be replaced by a technocratic, managerial style of politics? One of our presidential nominees even said so rather explicitly -- preferring the bland, though necessary, notion of competence over ideology. Incrementalism, not structural change, was to become all the rage in politics in this country. And, with a few exceptions, so it remains to this day.
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To get back to my original question, how do people learn what they know?
In her book Culture and Commitment, cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead reached a number of conclusions on the types of cultures that exist in the world. As I recall from reading her book in undergrad school, most of her findings were based on years of research in Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and other places.
Mead identified three types of cultures
1. Post-figurative Culture -- existed in traditional societies and one in which children learned about life and values primarily from their parents and grandparents as they transitioned from youth to adulthood.
2. Co-figurative Culture -- in this one, the influential group was one's peers for both children and adults.
3. Pre-figurative Culture -- was emerging as she wrote the book in 1970. The emergence of new technology and radical politics in the late 1960's, Mead thought, would create an environment in which adults would begin to learn from younger people.
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What were the primary influences that contributed to your political ideology? Was it the pressure to conform to or rebel against your family's values? Was it a trip you took abroad where you were exposed to a political system and culture different from your own? Was it through the formal study of political theory, philosophy, and history in college that shaped your thinking? Did a catastrophic political event shatter or alter your belief system? Did a friend, at some point in your life, persuade you one way or the other?
And, what are some of your most important political beliefs? Which ones would you never compromise on? Do you have a coherent political ideology or do you take a Chinese menu approach to politics? That is... an issue from Menu A, another one from Menu B, and so on.
I'm fairly certain that many, if not most, of us can probably check off several of the options in the poll as the formation of one's political ideology is most likely an evolutionary process over a number of years. And one which is arrived at under the influence of several people, events, and ideas. Nevertheless, I'm interested in what the primary influence was on the formation of your political beliefs.
I first wrote a version of this diary in 2007