Political ideology refers to a set of beliefs, values, and principles that shape a persons political views and actions. It is a system of ideas that explains how society should work and offers a political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order. Political ideologies are concerned with many different aspects of a society, including how to allocate power and to what ends power should be used. Here are some key features of political ideology:
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Ethical set of ideals: Political ideology is a certain ethical set of ideals, principles, doctrines, myths, or symbols of a social movement, institution, class, or large group.
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Guidance towards action: Political ideology must provide guidance towards action.
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Logical coherence: Political ideology must be logically coherent.
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Production of meanings, signs, and values: Ideology is the process of production of meanings, signs, and values in social life.
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Concerned with many different aspects of society: Political ideologies are concerned with many different aspects of a society, including economic, social, and cultural issues.
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Classification of political preferences: Ideology is a cognitive method to classify seemingly disparate political preferences; it serves to structure political attitudes.
In summary, political ideology is a set of beliefs and values that shape a person's political views and actions. It provides a blueprint for how society should work and how power should be allocated.
