CRM 2308 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Pacifism, Invisible Hand, Pope Francis
22 Jun 2018
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Ideological Underpinnings: setting our field of vision
Political Culture
All societies possess a political culture: the many elements that concern the beliefs,
values and attitudes people have about political life or objects
oit is independent of any individual’s beliefs; but all individuals in the society are
influenced (more or less) by their surrounding political culture
oa society’s political culture can define the boundaries of what policies are seen to
be acceptable, legitimate, or even up for discussion
Ideologies are “that specific part of political culture which relates culture to action in the
political sphere.” (Jackson & Jackson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=itvnQ2QB4yc&list=PLtY1iLdia2RygWmqtjHGYm9P3Lz8HHhma (Prince Ea Why I
think this World Should End)
***Ideology really does set the tone for what we think of as possible, probable or likely.
Political culture, shifts and changes, born into neoconservatism and neoliberalism. 70s to
early 80s huge cultural shift
Accepting that it's ok to have Canadians not being able to eat or have shelter, not
identical to US but may be coming more and more like the US.
Global political culture is shifting, all engaged in the same shit, body image (plastic
surgery in china; white people eyes= cultural ideal). Not just an impact meant to go
global/international. Broad base culture = dominant culture, political culture is a part of=
Mainstream culture.
Historically political cultures have belonged to specific societies.
America has been ok with poverty just after the american revolution.
Liberal = free
Pharmaceuticals, allowing private clinics, more affordable system (longer wait lists)
education has become more liberal.
Opening it up to the market = you get more choice, without state interference it becomes
more free.
As our society become more economically free > taxes go up
All liberals want to increase freedoms our education is not “free” because it is heavily
subsidized by the state. If it were “free” it would be about 42K a year.
Economic liberal = argues for economic freedom, wanted state to intervene to protect
markets.
**Social liberal = state should not stick nose into my business, “not my business” argues
the state should not interfere in your private life, as long as you don’t do violence or
harm. Most social liberals are not economic liberals.
The Liberal/ Democratic parties try to still combine the two “economic liberal” and
“social liberal”
Most laws don’t govern crime they govern markets and protect them. They protect the
ability of private individuals or corporations = special status. Corporation would take the
responsibility. Legal individual entitled to all rights and freedoms of an individual but
cannot be held culpable or legally responsible (but not held to the same responsibility.)
RCMP don’t get to go back to your home town
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Economic liberalism= argue against state intervention
Neoliberal not being a hypocrite
Ideology Definition
Ideology: many different uses and definitions
oan ideology is a more or less consistent set of beliefs about the nature of the
society in which individuals live, and about the proper role of the state in
establishing or maintaining that society
Ideologies are the substantive families of ideas, that inhabit a political culture
Not all political beliefs or opinions are rooted in ideology;
oe.g. opposition to gun control because someone just likes guns is not an
ideological belief
Features of an ideology:
osystematic: ideological beliefs are motivated by larger, general positions, and are
mostly consistent in their application to very different topics
onormative and programmatic: ideological beliefs point towards the way the world
ought to be; and thus ideological beliefs motivate action
operspective: ideological beliefs are based on a common definite notion of what
the world is and how it works; it uses unique concepts to explain the world of
experience
Four implicit elements:
oNegative perception of where society is headed
oReasoned view of what is wrong and why
oPrescription to reform or overthrow the current system
oAttempt to form a movement which will follow the prescription to its natural
conclusion
****Specific part of political culture that relates to action in the political sphere?
Conservatives more comfortable with the death penalty and wearing fur
Liberals are more comfortable with doctor assisted suicide and abortion
18-34 think porn is morally acceptable, age more likely to watch porn is men over 34
Cabinet and Harper stopped it most canadians support legal and non criminal abortions
Our political culture is more socially liberal
Fascism not thought to be a political ideology, is not rational/ reasonable, not consistent
Ex. nazi party in germany national socialists for all germans being equal but policies
were focused on growing economic inequality.
Ideologies are systematic
Conservatism argued as not being an ideology, isn't an ideology it is a reaction changed
based on space and time. Against change want to maintain the status quo.
All theories do line up with ideologies, really good theory need to separate myself from
my ideologies.
Ideologies are good theories = normative
Ideology Context
Ideology draws from political philosophy, but:
ooriented towards political practice
oaccessible to the general public, not just experts or academics
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
olargely shaped by its situation and context: i.e. :
general social and historical context - ideologies are products of broad
changes in the nature and composition of society
spatial context - ideologies and political cultures develop in specific
places, where local history favours certain ideologies
temporal context - meanings and interpretations change over time
oProvide common assumptions, values, and vocabulary to help individuals respond
to diverse events in a consistent way
Ideology will inform how government works:
oPolitical leaders make decisions that are guided by ideology, which provides them
with a coherent system to interpret and understand political realities
ohttp://www.bravenewfilms.org/billionairesvsteachers
We associate democracy with the options of people we get to chose from
In canada we do not have proportional representation, if you're in prison you're no longer
seen as a person.
oRich women were persons in 1927
oAncient greece had a very narrow idea on what a person was
We have a representational system, a one party system
Democracy and efficiency are not the same thing, efficiency = getting it done fast
(economic efficiency)
My ideology is telling me what is ok and not ok, and it is shifting right now.
See people who protest in a particular way
We are criminalizing ( calling people a evil terrorist and that's why we go to why)
temporal= time spacial= space talking about it as a space and a thing that exists,
geographies of time and space= temporal and spatial context
Shifting and changing in who we think of as persons (first nations etc)
Powerful people do more harm it’s all about your relationship with the criminal justice
system and how much money you have
Most people in canada are white
Spouting racial hatred= illegal to commit hate speech, it is ok to incite hatred against
women in canada
Differences between Ideologies
Many areas of disagreement between different ideologies
1. beliefs about society and the place of individuals
ocollectivism vs. individualism
ohierarchy vs. equality
orole of God/Church in society
ohuman nature - fallible vs. infinitely perfectible
2. beliefs about the state, and the nature and structure of power
othe form of power: absolute monarchy, responsible government, republicanism
oextent of the state: totalitarian, activist, limited, minimal
oideas of democracy: participation, representation, accountability
owhat makes authority legitimate: religion, tradition, reason, law
3. beliefs about specific areas of government policy
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Ideologies are that specific part of political culture which relates culture to action in the political sphere. (jackson & jackson) https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=itvnq2qb4yc&list=plty1ildia2rygwmqtjhgym9p3lz8hhhma (prince ea why i think this world should end) ***ideology really does set the tone for what we think of as possible, probable or likely. Political culture, shifts and changes, born into neoconservatism and neoliberalism. Accepting that it"s ok to have canadians not being able to eat or have shelter, not identical to us but may be coming more and more like the us. Global political culture is shifting, all engaged in the same shit, body image (plastic surgery in china; white people eyes= cultural ideal). Not just an impact meant to go global/international. Broad base culture = dominant culture, political culture is a part of= Historically political cultures have belonged to specific societies. America has been ok with poverty just after the american revolution.
