IdeologyDefinitionsValuesAuthor(s)PeriodForms

AnarchismSociety without government, laws, police or other authority. System of self-control Views of Human Nature: Optimistic in general although Stirners views differ from those of other anarchists Emphasis on the rationality and sovereignty of the individual Very strong emphasis on individual liberty although it is important to clarify the meaning of liberty for anarchists. Economic Freedom. Opposition to stateownership and control of the means of production as in USSR State Socialism Support for laissez faire, minimal Government and some economic Inequality Opposition to capitalist inequality and opposition to private property. Support for: Mutualism, Collectivism, Communism the Young Hegelians in the 1840s, during the revolutionary upheavals that swept across Europe and destroyed the Old Order: Mikhail Bakunin and Frederick Engels,Hegel,Max Stirner, Proudhon.the Enlightenment or Age of Reason (17th to 21st centuries)Left Anarchism(communalist polity, participatory economy, oppositional worldview)Anarcho-Primitivism(emphasis on psychology, anthropology, on lived experience)TaoismAnarcho-communism Anarcho-syndicalism, Individualist anarchism

AristocracyThe privilege of social class whose members possess disproportionately large percentage of society's wealth, prestige and political influence the rule of the few bestthe morally and intellectually superiorgoverning in the interest of the entire population. the ruling upper layer of a stratified group. Thus, the upper ranks of the government form the political aristocracy of the state; the stratum of the highest religious dignitaries constitutes the aristocracy of the church; and the richest captains of industry and finance constitute an aristocracy of economic wealth.the Greek philosophers Plato (c. 428/427348/347 bc) and Aristotle (384322 bc)from 1570s and became paramount 17century.There are three main kinds of aristocracy:(1) Natural aristocracy, frequently found in primitive civilizations, where elders and heads of families govern a village or tribe.(2)Elective aristocracy, which Rousseau considers the best kind of aristocracy, where those with power or riches, or those who are best suited to govern, are placed in charge.(3)Hereditary aristocracy, which Rousseau considers the worst kind of aristocracy, where certain families govern everybody else. As long as the magistrates can be trusted to govern justly, Rousseau believes that aristocracy is an excellent form of government.

AutocracySupreme political power is in the hands of one person whose decision are unregulateda system of government in which a supreme power is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms of popular control.

Its essential features were the embodiment of the supreme power in the person of the party leader and a small circle of the highest Communist party leadership; government through decrees rather than the legislative process, in which the key role would lie with the elected, representative bodies; and the extreme centralization of political and economic administration.Its roots can be traced back to the Grand Principality of Muscovy and the prince's struggle against the boyar oligarchy; it was further developed theoretically under the Russian Empire. Autocracy is also associated with the theory of Moscow as the Third Rome. Ivan IV The Terrible (154684) was the first ruler of Muscovy to elevate autocracy to a political craft based on divine right. The main promoters of theocratic absolutism were the archpriests Joseph of the Volokolamsk Monastery and Philotheus of Pskov and the secular writer I. Peresvetov.1650s, "independent power, self-sustained power," from Fr. autocratie, from Gk. autokrateia "ruling by oneself," noun of state from autokrates (see autocrat). Meaning "absolute government, supreme political power" is recorded from 1855.Totalitarian Dictatorship Leader glorified Government controls all aspects of social and economic lifeMonarchy (absolute, constitutional) King or queen exercises the supreme powers of government Inherit their positions

Capitalism Right-wing political system where the principle means of production and distribution are in private handsan economic system in which trade, industry, and the means of production are controlled by private owners with the goal of making profits in a market economy. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets and wage labor. In a capitalist economy, the parties to a transaction typically determine the prices at which assets, goods, and services are exchanged.

The degree of competition, role of intervention and regulation, and scope of public ownership varies across different models of capitalismAdam Smith is considered the first theorist of what we commonly refer to as capitalism. His 1776 work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, theorized that within a given stable system of commerce and evaluation, individuals would respond to the incentive of earning more by specializing their production.traced back to early forms of merchant capitalism practiced in Western Europe during the Middle Ages/ V-XVc. It began to develop into its modern form during the Early Modern period in the Protestant countries of North-Western Europe, especially the Netherlands and England.Various forms:laissez-faire capitalism, welfare capitalism and state capitalism.Each highlighting varying degrees of dependency on markets, public ownership, and inclusion of social policies.

CommunismExtreme left-wing ideology based on the revolutionary socialist teachings of Marx. Collective ownership and a planned economy. Each should work to their capability and receive according to their needsThe desire to end capitalism feeling that it was the social class system that led to the exploitation of workers. The workers that were exploited would develop class consciousness. Then there would be a fundamental process of class conflict that would be resolved through revolutionary struggle. In this conflict, the proletariat will rise up against the bourgeoisie and establish a communist society. Marx and Engels thought of the proletariat as the individuals with labor power, and the bourgeoisie as those who own the means of production in a capitalist society. The state would pass through a phase, Communist Manifestooften thought of as a socialism, and eventually settle finally on a pure communist society. In a communist society, all private ownership would be abolished, and the means of production would belong to the entire community. In the communist movement, a popular slogan stated that everyone gave according to their abilities and received according to their needs.founded by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the second half of the 19th century. Marx and Engels met in 1844, and discovered that they had similar principles. In 1848 they wrote and published "The Communist Manifesto."In the late 19th century, communist philosophy began to develop in Russia. In 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power through the October Revolution.1 Marxist Communism1.1 Leninism and MarxismLeninism Stalinism Trotskyism Maoism Prachanda Path Hoxhaism Titoism Eurocommunism Luxemburgism Council communism2.Non-Marxist Communism: Anarchist communism Christian communism

Conservatism Governmental system where the existing institution are maintained, emphasizing free-enterprise and minimal governmental interventionopposition to rapid changes, and promotes keeping traditions in society:"... this Conservatism accepts and defends most of the institutions and values of the contemporary West. Not only does it continue to hold in trust the great Western heritage from Israel, Greece, Rome and all Christianity, the way of life that speaks of humanity and justice; it also pledges its faith to what we know and cherish as constitutional democracy, the way of life that speaks of liberty and the consent of the people. Conservatism ... is full of harsh doubts about the goodness and equality of men, the wisdom and possibilities of reform, and the sagacity of the majority -- that is to say, about the democratic dogma. ... however, it ... respects the desire for human liberty hardly less firmly than it pleads the cause for social order."

Stability: Stability is a precious thing, and change must be made gradually in order to preserve it. Undermining stability is very dangerous because societies can easily fall into chaos and violence. Classical liberals frequently called for revolution, which opens the door to great turbulence, according to the classical conservative view.Concreteness: Liberalism is too abstract. It focuses on freedom and equality, not on the concrete way people live every day.Human fallibility: Liberalism overestimates human beings. Humans are frequently ignorant, prejudiced, and irrational. By ignoring these defects, liberalism becomes unrealistic.Unique circumstances: There is no universal answer to the problems of society; the circumstances are unique in each country.English author Edmund Burkes book Reflections on the Revolution in France.In 1790s, as a reaction to the Age of EnlightenmentGradualism Crunchy ConservativeNational Review commentator Rod Dreher first coined the term "crunchy conservative" in 2006 to describe his personal ideology, according to NPR.org. Dreher says "crunchy cons" are conservatives who stand outside the conservative mainstream, and tend to focus more on family-oriented, culturally conservative concepts such as being good stewards of the natural world and avoiding materialism in everyday life. Dreher describes crunchy cons as those who embrace a counter-cultural, yet traditional conservative lifestyle." On his blog, Dreher says crunchy cons are as mistrutful of big business as they are big government.

Cultural ConservativePolitically, cultural conservatism is often confused with social conservatism. In the US, the term often incorrectly describes members of the religious right because the two share ideologies on social issues. Christian conservatives tend to like being described as cultural conservatives, because it implies that America is a Christian nation. True cultural conservatives worry less about religion in government and more about using politics to prevent fundamental changes to US culture. The goal of cultural conservatives is to preserve and maintain the American way-of-life both at home and abroad.

Fiscal ConservativeLibertarians and Constitutionalists are natural fiscal conservatives due to their desire to reduce government spending, pay off the national debt and shrink the size and scope of government. Nevertheless, the Republican Party is most often credited with creating the fiscal conservative ideal, despite the big-spending tendencies of the most recent GOP administrations. Fiscal conservatives seek to deregulate the economy and lower taxes. Fiscal conservative politics has little or nothing to do with social issues, and it is therefore not uncommon for other conservatives to identify themselves as fiscal conservatives.

NeoconservativeThe neoconservative movement sprouted in the 1960s in response to the counter-culture movement. It was later bolstered by disillusioned liberal intellectuals of the 1970s. Neoconservatives believe in a diplomatic foreign policy, stimulating economic growth by lowering taxes and finding alternative ways to deliver public welfare services. Culturally, neoconservatives tend to identify with traditional conservatives, but stop short of providing guidance on social issues. Irving Kristol, co-founder of Encounter magazine is largely credited with founding the neoconservative movement.5. PaleoconservativeAs the name suggests, paleoconservatives emphasize a connection with the past. Like neoconservatives, paleoconservatives tend to be family-oriented, religious-minded and opposed to the vulgarity permeating modern culture. They are also opposed to mass immigration and believe in the complete withdrawal of US military troops from foreign countries. Paleoconservatives claim author Russell Kirk as their own, as well as political ideologues Edmund Burke and William F. Buckley Jr. Paleoconservatives believe they are the true heirs to the US conservative movement and are critical of other "brands" of conservatism.6. Social ConservativeSocial conservatives adhere strictly to a moral ideology based on family-values and religious traditions. For US social conservatives, Christianity -- often Evangelical Christianity -- guides all political positions on social issues. US social conservatives are mostly right-wing and hold firmly to a pro-life, pro-family and pro-religion agenda. Thus, abortion and gay rights are often lightning rod issues for social conservatives. Social conservatives are the most recognized group of conservatives on this list due to their strong ties to the Republican Party.

Democracy Government by the people usually through elected representativesDemocratic countries cherish INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM and generally believe that laws should not be REPRESSIVE; a little order can be sacrificed in the name of LIBERTY. So one kind of balance is between order and liberty.Democratic societies also expect another kind of balance: a compromise between liberty and equality. Complete liberty logically leads to inequality. A strong or ambitious person might acquire more goods and property than another, and someone is bound to dominate. But the line has to be drawn before an individual seizes power that greatly restricts the liberties of others.Under democracy an individual possesses rights only when he is a member of the majority. Even then those rights are limited and continually threatened, because if the individual finds himself in the minority on any issue, he is required to follow the dictates of the majority. He may be on the winning side on a vote regarding light rail, but be on the losing side on a vote regarding school bonds.Athenian statesman and member of the exiled Alcmaeonidae aristocracy, Cleisthenes is considered the father of democracy. Before his rise around 510 B.C.Some others: Th. Jefferson, J. Locke, J. Madison, etc.back from classical Athens in the 6th century B.C.E. to the present day.The two types of democracy are representative democracy and direct democracy. A representative democracy is when citizens vote on representatives, such as senators, who will then vote on issues. A direct democracy is when the citizens vote for laws themselves.

Dictatorship Government by a single person with absolute control over the resources of the stateThere are four principles of dictatorship. They are: Continuing of the socialist road, supporting the dictatorship, supporting the leadership of the communist party, and upholding Marxism, Leninism, and Mao Zedong thought.In the Roman Empire, dictators such as Sulla or the Roman Emperors exercised power.From the IInd century BC to XXth century.Absolutism Despotism Autocracy TotalitarianismCommunism Fascism TheocracyImperialismBetween the two world wars, four types of dictatorships have been described: constitutional, the communist (nominally championing "dictatorship of the proletariat"), the counterrevolutionary, and the fascist.

Egalitarianism Belief where all citizens have equal rights and privilegespolitical doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals from birth, usually meaning held equal under the law and in society at large. It is a belief in human equality, especially with respect to social, political and economic rights and privileges, and advocates the removal of inequalities among people and of discrimination (on grounds such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc).the United States Declaration of Independence of 1776 includes a kind of moral and legal Egalitarianism in its assertion that "all men are created equal"From XVIIIth centuryEconomic Egalitarianism (or Material Egalitarianism) is where the participants of a society are of equal standing and have equal access to all the economic resources in terms of economic power, wealth and contribution. It is a founding principle of various forms of Socialism.

Moral Egalitarianism is the position that equality is central to justice, that all individuals are entitled to equal respect, and that all human persons are equal in fundamental worth or moral status.

Legal Egalitarianism the principle under which each individual is subject to the same laws, with no individual or group or class having special legal privileges, and where the testimony of all persons is counted with the same weight.

Political Egalitarianism is where the members of a society are of equal standing in terms of political power or influence. It is a founding principle of most forms of democracy.

Luck Egalitarianism is a view about distributive justice (what is just or right with respect to the allocation of goods in a society) espoused by a variety of left-wing political philosophers, which seeks to distinguish between outcomes that are the result of brute luck (e.g. misfortunes in genetic makeup, or being struck by a bolt of lightning) and those that are the consequence of conscious options (e.g. career choices, or fair gambles).

Gender Egalitarianism (or Zygarchy) is a form of society in which power is equally shared between men and women, or a family structure where power is shared equally by both parents.

Racial Egalitarianism (or Racial Equality) is the absence of racial segregation (the separation of different racial groups in daily life, whether mandated by law or through social norms).

Opportunity Egalitarianism (or Asset-based Egalitarianism) is the idea that equality is possible by a redistribution of resources, usually in the form of a capital grant provided at the age of majority, an idea which has been around since Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809).

Christian Egalitarianism holds that all people are equal before God and in Christ, and specifically teaches gender equality in Christian church leadership and in marriage.

Fascism Extreme right-wing ideology where the existing social order is protected by the forcible suppression of the working classFascists sought to unify their nation through an authoritarian state that promoted the mass mobilization of the national communityand were characterized by having leadership that initiated a revolutionary political movement aiming to reorganize the nation along principles according to fascist ideology. Fascist movements shared certain common features, including the veneration of the state, a devotion to a strong leader, and an emphasis on ultranationalism and militarism. Fascism views political violence, war, and imperialism as a means to achieve national rejuvenation, and it asserts that stronger nations have the right to expand their territory by displacing weaker nations.Fascist ideology consistently invokes the primacy of the state. Fascism borrowed terminology from socialism but replaced socialism's focus on class conflict with a focus on conflict between nations and races. Fascists advocate a mixed economy, with the principal goal of achieving autarky to secure national self-sufficiency and independence through protectionist and interventionist economic policies.Mussolini adopted the term to his application of socialism, which allowed for the restricted right to private property, from the Roman symbol for the rule of law a bound collection of straight one yard long sticks. The first applied movement of fascism as a political party started in America under Theodore Roosevelt.came to prominence in early XXthcentury EuropeItalian Fascism* corporatism combined with nationalism, interventionism, imperialism, futurism, totalitarianism.

National Socialism* Hitlerism/SS: scientific racialism combined with romantic nationalism, mixed economy.* Strasserism/SA: scientific racialism combined with working class nationalist revolution, guild socialism, a more planned economy.

Italian Fascism (in Italian, Fascismo) is the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini (1883 - 1945). It is the original model which inspired other Fascist ideologies, and is generally referred to simply as Fascism. It grew out of Mussolini's desire to re-affirm Italian national identity and pride after so many centuries of disunity leading up to the unification of 1870. Similar movements appeared throughout the world (including Europe, Japan, and Latin America) between World War I and World War II.

Nazism (or National Socialism) refers to the ideology and practices of the German Nazi Party (or National Socialist German Workers' Party) under Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945) between 1933 and 1945. It was a strongly nationalist, totalitarian, racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist movement, which grew up in the aftermath of German humiliation after World War I, which was partly blamed on Germany's Jews. Hitler published his political beliefs in "Mein Kampf" in 1925 and, inspired by the Italian Fascism of Mussolini, assumed dictatorial powers as Chancellor in 1933. His belief in the superiority of an Aryan race and the possibilities of eugenics (racial purification), his fierce anti-Semitism and anti-Communism, combined with his militaristic and expansionist ambitions led to World War II, with its atrocities and genocide, eventual military defeat and the subsequebt abandonment of Nazism as a viable ideology.

Clerical Fascism is an ideology that combines the political and economic doctrines of Fascism with theology or religious tradition. The term originally emerged in the 1920s referring to Catholic support for the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, but has since been applied to various regimes and movements, particularly in Europe and South America.

Neo-Fascism is any post-World War II ideology that includes significant elements of Fascism, or that expresses specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism, again particularly in Europe and South America. It includes various Neo-Nazi movements, which can be found almost worldwide.

Imperialism The extension of power and rule beyond established geographical boundariesImperialists normally hold the belief that the acquisition and maintenance of empires is a positive good, combined with an assumption of cultural or other such superiority inherent to imperial power. However, imperialism has often been considered to be an exploitive evil: Marxists, and also many non-Marxists from the left, use the term imperialism as Lenin defined it: "the highest stage of capitalism", specifically the era in which monopoly finance capital becomes dominant, forcing the empires to compete amongst themselves increasingly for control over resources and markets all over the world. This control may take the form of geopolitical machinations, military adventures, or financial maneuvers. Globalisation and the practices of the World Bank, for example, frequently are said to serve imperialist interests. Although the classical cases of imperialist powers are the richest capitalist countries of the First World, there are also many people, including some Marxists, who believe that the Soviet Union eventually became social-imperialistsocialist in words but imperialist in deeds using its power and influence to dominate the East Bloc and various other countries. China, India, and other large countries with regional influence are sometimes charged with imperialism as well.The concept of an American Empire was first popularized during the presidency of James K. Polk who led the United States into the MexicanAmerican War of 1846.The term as such primarily has been applied to Western political and economic dominance in the XIXth and XXth centuries.According to the OED, it dates back to 1858, to describe Pax Britannica. However its intellectual roots can certainly be traced as far back as Dante, who in his Monarchia depicted a world with a single political focus and governed by rationalism. Dante was very influential on John Dee, who coined the term British Empire in the late 16th century.The four types of imperialism are Colonial, Economic, political, and socio-cultural.

Liberalism Representative government, free-speech, abolition of class privilege and state protection of the individualIndividualism: The individual takes priority over society.Freedom: Individuals have the right to make choices for themselves. This freedom is not absolute, and some behaviors, such as murder, are prohibited. Freedom of religion is a particularly important freedom to come out of liberalism because so many governments at the time were very closely tied to a particular religious creed.Equality: No person is morally or politically superior to others. Hierarchies are rejected.Rationalism: Humans are capable of thinking logically and rationally. Logic and reason help us solve problems.Progress: Traditions should not be kept unless they have value. New ideas are helpful because they can lead to progress in the sciences, the economy, and society.The free market: Liberalism and capitalism go hand in hand. Liberals like the free market because it more easily creates wealth, as opposed to traditional economies, which often have extensive regulations and limits on which occupations people can hold.Classical liberalism developed when such thinkers as John Locke (in his Second Treatise of Government in 1690).In the early modern age of the Western world (beginning roughly in the early 1500s and running for about 200 years).There are two major currents of thought within Liberalism, Classical Liberalism and Social Liberalism:

Classical Liberalism holds that the only real freedom is freedom from coercion, and that state intervention in the economy is a coercive power that restricts the economic freedom of individuals, and so should be avoided as far as possible. It favours laissez-faire economic policy (minimal economic intervention and taxation by the state beyond what is necessary to maintain individual liberty, peace, security and property rights), and opposes the welfare state (the provision of welfare services by the state, and the assumption by the state of primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizens).Social Liberalism argues that governments must take an active role in promoting the freedom of citizens, and that real freedom can only exist when citizens are healthy, educated and free from dire poverty. Social Liberals believe that this freedom can be ensured when governments guarantee the right to an education, health care and a living wage, in addition to other responsibilities such as laws against discrimination in housing and employment, laws against pollution of the environment, and the provision of welfare, all of which would be supported by a progressive taxation system.As with many political philosophies, there are several forms and variations of Liberalism, including the following:

Conservative Liberalism is a variant of Liberalism representing the right-wing of the Liberal movement, and combines liberal values and policies with conservative stances. Unlike Liberal Conservatives, however, who tend to be more committed to authority, tradition and established religion, Conservative Liberals are supporters of the separation between church and state. It also differs from Libertarianism in that it is far less radical in its economic program, and in its support for an active defense policy and military interventions.Economic Liberalism is the theory of economics in Classical Liberalism, developed during the Enlightenment, particularly by Adam Smith, which advocates minimal interference by government in the economy. Libertarianism, Neoliberalism and some schools of Conservatism, particularly Liberal Conservatism are often referred to as Economic Liberalism.Neoliberalism refers to a program of reducing trade barriers and internal market restrictions, while using government power to enforce opening of foreign markets. In some ways it is a modern attempt, championed by Conservatives like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher since the 1970's, to revert to a more pure Classical Liberalism.American Liberalism is largely a combination of social liberalism, social progressivism, and mixed economy philosophy. It is distinguished from Classic Liberalism (see above) and Libertarianism, which also claim freedom as their primary goal, in its insistance upon the inclusion of positive rights (such as education, health care and other services and goods believed to be required for human development and self-actualization) and in a broader definition of equality.National Liberalism is a variant of Liberalism commonly found in several European countries in the 19th and 20th Century, which combines nationalism with policies mainly derived from Economic Liberalism (see above).Ordoliberalism is a mid-20th Century school of Liberalism, developed mainly in Germany, emphasizing the need for the state to ensure that the free market produces results close to its theoretical potential.Paleoliberalism is a term that has at least a few distinct, though largely ambigious, meanings, including extreme Liberalism, and very socialist or socially libertarian Liberalism, and opposed to Neoliberalism (see above).Cultural Liberalism is a liberal view of society that stresses the freedom of individuals from cultural norms.

Maoism Interpretation of Marxist communism emphasizing the development of agricultureMaoism sees the agrarian peasantry, rather than the working class, as the key revolutionary force which can fundamentally transform capitalist society towards socialism. Holding that "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun," Maoist organizations mainly draw upon Mao's ideology of the People's War, mobilizing large parts of rural populations to revolt against established institutions by engaging in guerrilla warfare. Maoism views the industrial-rural divide as a major division exploited by capitalism, identifying capitalism as involving industrial urban developed "First World" societies ruling over rural developing "Third World" societies. Maoism identifies peasant insurgencies in particular national contexts were part of a context of world revolution, in which Maoism views the global countryside would overwhelm the global cities.Due to this imperialism by the capitalist urban First World towards the rural Third World, Maoism has endorsed national liberation movements in the Third World.Although Maoism is critical of urban industrial capitalist powers, it views urban industrialization as a prerequisite to expand economic development and socialist reorganization to the countryside, with the goal being the achievement of rural industrialization that would abolish the distinction between town and countryside.

People's war and the mass line: The party must not be separate from the popular masses, either in policy or in revolutionary struggle. To conduct a successful revolution the needs and demands of the masses must be the most important issues.New Democracy: In so called backward countries, socialism cannot be introduced before the country has gone through a period in which the material conditions improve. This cannot be done by the bourgeoisie, as its progressive character is long since replaced by a regressive character.Contradictions as the most important feature of society: Society is dominated by a wide range of contradictions that call for varying strategies. Revolution is necessary to resolve fully antagonistic contradictions such as those between labour and capital. Contradictions arising within the revolutionary movement call for ideological correction to prevent them from becoming antagonistic.Cultural revolution: The revolution does not wipe out bourgeois ideology; the class-struggle continues, and even intensifies, during socialism. Therefore a constant struggle against these ideologies and their social roots must be conducted. Cultural Revolution is directed also against traditionalism.Three Worlds Theory: During the Cold War, two imperialist states formed the "first world"; the United States and the Soviet Union. The second world consisted of the other imperialist states in their spheres of influence. The third world consisted of the non-imperialist countries. Both the first and the second world exploit the third world, but the first world is the most aggressive part. The workers in the first and second world are "bought up" by imperialism, preventing socialist revolution. The people of the third world, on the other hand, have not even a short-sighted interest in the prevailing circumstances. Hence revolution is most likely to appear in third world countries, which again will weaken imperialism opening up for revolutions in other countries tooMao Tse tung / ZedongDeveloped during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China (CPC).IdealismPopulismNationalism Daoism

Marxism It proposes that all is subject to change and resistance to change necessitates the overthrow of the system through class struggleIt originally consisted of three related ideas: a philosophical anthropology, a theory of history, and an economic and political program.Exploitation and Alienation: Capitalism is based on the exploitation of workers by the owners of capital, due to the fact that the workers' labour power generates a surplus value greater than the workers' wages. This expropriation of surpluses leads to increasing alienation and resentment of workers, because they have no control over the labour or product which they produce (a systematic result of the Capitalist system, it is argued).Labour Theory of Value: The value of a commodity can be objectively measured by the average amount of labour hours that are required to produce that commodity. This is similar to the value theory established by classical economists like Adam Smith and David Ricardo (1772 - 1823), although for Marx it is socially necessary labour which is important (i.e. the amount needed to produce, and reproduce, a commodity under average working conditions).Base and Superstructure: Relations are established among people as they produce and reproduce the material requirements of life, and these relations form the economic basis of society. On this "base" arises a "superstructure" of political and legal institutions, and a social consciousness of religious, philosophical, ideological and other ideas. Any social revolution (caused by conflict between the development of material productive forces and the relations of production) will result in a change in the economic basis and thence to the transformation of the superstructure.Class Consciousness: Any social class possesses an awareness (of itself, of the conditions of life, and of the social world around it), and its capacity to act in its own rational interests is based on this awareness. Thus, class consciousness must be attained before any class may mount a successful revolution.Ideology: The ruling class foists the dominant ideology on all members of that society in order to make its own interests appear to be the interests of all. Therefore, the ideology of a society can be used to confuse alienated groups and create a false consciousness (such as commodity fetishism, where social relationships are transformed into apparently objective relationships between commodities or money).Historical and Dialectical Materialism: This refers to the adaptation by Marx and Engels of Georg Hegel's theory of Dialectics, the concept that any idea or event (the thesis) generates its opposite (the antithesis), eventually leading to a reconciliation of opposites (a new, more advanced synthesis). Marx realized that this could also be applied to material matters like economics, hence the label Dialectical Materialism. The application of the principle of Dialectical Materialism to history and sociology, the main context in which Marx used it, is known as Historical Materialism (see the section below for details). The resulting theory posits that history is the product of class struggle and obeys the general Hegelian principle of the development of thesis and antithesis.a body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels.in the mid-19th century.Classical Marxism: The initial theory as conceived by Marx and Engels, as described above.

Marxism-Leninism: The Communist ideological stream, loosely modelled on Marxist theory, that emerged as the mainstream tendency during the post-Lenin era of Joseph Stalin (1878 - 1953) in the Soviet Union. It is mainly associated with Stalin, although it is debatable to what extent he actually followed the principles of either Marx or Lenin.

Western Marxism: A term used to describe a wide variety of Marxist theories based in Western and Central Europe (and more recently North America), in contrast with the philosophy of the Soviet Union or the People's Republic of China. It brought Marxism into the mainstream of European culture. Its proponents have been mainly professional academics, who view Marx as primarily a philosopher rather than a revolutionary, and who stress the Hegelian and humanist elements of his thought. The most prominent were perhaps the Hungarian Gyrgy Lukcs (1885 - 1971) and the German Karl Korsch (1886 - 1961).

Libertarian Marxism: A school of Marxism that describes itself as taking a less authoritarian view of Marxist theory than conventional currents such as Stalinism, Maoism, Trotskyism and other well-known forms of Marxism-Leninism. It emphasizes the ability of the working class to forge its own destiny without the need for a revolutionary party or state to mediate or aid its liberation.

Structural Marxism: An approach to Marxism based on the Structuralism of the French theorist Louis Althusser (1918 - 1990) and his students. His detailed re-analysis of the Marx's entire oeuvre led him to realize that it provides not only a model of the economy but also a description of the structure and development of a whole society. It was influential, particularly in France, during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Neo-Marxism: A 20th Century New Left school of Marxism that hearkens back to the early writings of Marx (before the influence of Engels), as well as attempting to incorporate elements of modern psychology and sociology into orthodox Marxist thought. It rejects the perceived economic determinism of later Marx, focusing instead on a non-physical, psychological revolution, and is more Libertarian in nature, and related to strains of Anarchism. The Frankfurt School, based at the University of Frankfurt am Main in Germany from the 1930's to 1950's, was instrumental in its development.

Cultural Marxism: Another 20th Century form of Marxism which adds an analysis of the role of the media, art, theatre, film and other cultural institutions in a society, often with an added emphasis on race and gender in addition to class.

Analytical Marxism: A style of thinking about Marxism that was prominent amongst English-speaking philosophers and social scientists during the 1980s. It claimed "clear and rigorous thinking about questions that are usually blanketed by ideological fog".

Post-Marxism: The theoretical work of philosophers and social theorists who have built their theories upon Classical Marxism to some extent, but who have exceeded the limits of those theories in ways that puts them outside of Marxism.

Marxist Humanism: A branch of Marxism that primarily focuses on Marx's earlier writings, (especially the "Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts" of 1844 in which he develops his theory of alienation), as opposed to his later works, which are considered to be concerned more with his structural conception of capitalist society.

Marxist Feminism: A branch of Feminist theory which focuses on the dismantling of Capitalism as a way to liberate women. Marxist Feminism asserts that private property, which gives rise to economic inequality, dependence, political confusion and ultimately unhealthy social relations between men and women, is the root of the oppression of women.

Monarchy A form of rule in which the head of state is a King or QueenThe divine right of kings is a principle guiding factor in the power of an absolute monarchy. This system operates under the belief that the person acting as king or queen has the God-given right to do so and as such has been raised from birth for the position.During the Middle Ages, absolute monarchs would retain control of their lands by controlling the two prime groups of the upper class, the aristocracy and the nobility. The aristocracy of the time controlled much of the wealth and commerce, while the nobility was generally in charge of wars and national security. This was predominant in European and Asian countries.The clergy usually attempted to limit the powers of the monarch by creating their own laws derived from church doctrine. This was sometimes successful and occasionally led to the overthrow of a king or civil war between factions devoted to the church.It also could cause the church to lose power, as it did in England when King Henry VIII established the official Church of England so he could get an annulment of his marriage in 1534.

King ArthurIn the eighth century, in the British Isles, Mercia and later Wessex came to dominate, giving rise to the start of the monarchy.The prime example of an absolute monarch in history is Louis XIV, King of France from 1654 to 1714.

1. Absolute monarchy - the Monarch is both the Head of State and Head of Government, his power is not limited by a constitution or by the law.Current Absolute Monarchies are Bahrain, Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Swaziland.

2. Constitutional monarchy - the Monarch is the Head of State but not Head of Government, his power is limited by a constitution.Current Constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Spain, Monaco, Thailand, Japan, Jordan and Morocco.

3. Diarchy - a form of Monarchy system when two individuals, rather than one, are Heads of State.Current diarchies include San Marino (the oldest diarchy in the world) and Andorra.

4. Elective monarchy - monarchy ruled by an elected rather than hereditary monarch. The manner of election, the nature of the candidacy and the electors vary from case to case.Current elective monarchies include the Holy See (Vatican), Cambodia and Malaysia.

5. Hereditary monarchy - hereditary monarchy is the most common type of monarchy; the Crown is passed from one member of the Royal Family to another, according to the country's succession laws.Nearly all of the contemporary monarchies are hereditary.

6. Non-Sovereign Monarchy - monarchy in which the head of the a geographical territory or ethnic group is subject to authority higher than his own.Current non-sovereign Monarchs include the Zulu King, whose power derives from the Constitution of South Africa.Historical example are the constituent states of the German Empire (for example, the Duke of Saxe Coburg und Gotha was subject to authority of the German Emperor).

7. Self-proclaimed monarchy - a monarchy that is proclaimed into existence (often by an individual) rather than occurring as part of a longstanding tradition. If self-proclaimed Monarchy is successful, it will evolve into a hereditary one.Historical examples include Napoleon Bonaparte, who proclaimed himself Emperor of France, and Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic, who proclaimed himself Emperor Bokassa I of Central African Empire.

Nationalism The unification of the state and release from foreign rulepolitical ideology that involves an individual identifying with, or becoming attached to, one's nation. It involves national identity, by contrast with the related construct of patriotism, which involves the social conditioning and personal behaviors that support a state's decisions and actions.From a psychological perspective, nationalism (national attachment) is distinct from other types of attachment, for example, attachment to a religion or a romantic partner. The desire for interpersonal attachment, or the need to belong, is one of the most fundamental human motivations.From a political or sociological perspective, there are two main perspectives on the origins and basis of nationalism. One is the primordialist perspective that describes nationalism as a reflection of the ancient and perceived evolutionary tendency of humans to organize into distinct groupings based on an affinity of birth. The other is the modernist perspective that describes nationalism as a recent phenomenon that requires the structural conditions of modern society in order to exist.The term nationalism was first used by Johann Gottfried Herder the prophet of this new creed. Herder gave Germans new pride in their origins, and proclaimed a national message within the sphere of language, which he believed determines national thought and culture.[15] He attached exceptional importance to the concept of nationality and of patriotism.With the emergence of a national public sphere and an integrated, country-wide economy in 18th century England.

Nihilism The belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvementthe belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy.It only became popularized, however, after its appearance in Ivan Turgenevs novel Fathers and Sons (1862).Early in the nineteenth century, Friedrich Jacobi used the word to negatively characterize transcendental idealism. Epistemological nihilism which denies the possibility of knowledge and truth; this form of nihilism is identified with postmodernism. One famous example of epistemological nihilism is the words Socrates said before his death: "I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."Political Nihilism is the belief that the destruction of all existing political, social, and religious order is a prerequisite for any future improvement; this form of nihilism is identified with anarchism.Moral nihilism rejects all moral or ethical values; this form of nihilism is identified with moral relativism.[Citation Needed]Existential nihilism is the notion that life has no meaning or purpose.[3]Mereological nihilism is the view that objects with parts do not exist, it's a human illusion; this view has been identified with some aspects of Buddhist philosophy and Immanuel Kant's transcendental idealism.

Oligarchy A system of government in which virtually all power is held a small number of wealthy people who shape policy to benefit themselves Government in which a small group holds power control by a Political Party Government by a few people who derive their power from wealth, social position, or military powerExamples: Governments of Communist Countries such as China and former USSR

The iron law of oligarchy is a political theory, first developed by the German syndicalist sociologist Robert Michels in his 1911 book, Political Parties.In 1911ElitismAristocracyMeritocracyMilitary juntaPlutocracyStratocracyTechnocracyTheocracyTimocracy

Populism Collective noun for the ideologies which demand the redistribution of political power and economic leadership to the 'common people'The party's platform endorsed labor unions, decried long work hours, and championed the graduated income tax as a way to redistribute wealth from business to farmers and laborers. The party also called for an end to court injunctions against labor unions. The Populists also called for a secret ballot; women's suffrage; an eight-hour workday, direct election of U.S. Senators and the President and Vice President; and initiative and recall to make the political system more responsive to the people.The Peoples Partysince the 1980s populist movements and parties have enjoyed degrees of success in First World democracies such as Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and Scandinavian countries.Tridemism

Socialism Left-wing political system where the principle means of production, distribution and exchange are in common ownershipCollectivism: Human beings are social by nature, and society should respect this. Individualism is poisonous.Public ownership: Society, not individuals, should own the property.Central economic planning: The government plans the economy; there is no free market.Economic equality: All citizens have roughly the same level of prosperity.According to socialists, liberalism fails to live up to its promises of freedom and equality. Socialists blame the free market for liberalisms failings. Under a capitalist system, money and means of production are the measures of power. The haves (the bourgeoisie, in Marxs terms) and the have-nots (whom Marx calls the proletariat) are locked into a fight that Marx called class warfare. Because they control the money and means of production, the bourgeoisie have the power and thus are winning the fight. The rich use the government to further their control and to increase their power over the lower, poorer classes, so people are neither free nor equal.Karl Marx is the best-known theorist of socialism. Along with Friedrich Engels, Marx wroteThe Communist Manifesto(1848) as a call to revolution. Other prominent socialists thinkers included Karl Kautsky, Vladimir Lenin, and Antonio Gramsci.arose as a response to the Industrial Revolution, which was the emergence of technologies such as the steam engine and mass production. The Industrial Revolution started in England in the last years of the XVIII century and had spread to much of Europe and America by the end of the XIX century.Democratic Socialism advocates Socialism as an economic principle (the means of production should be in the hands of ordinary working people), and democracy as a governing principle (political power should be in the hands of the people democratically through a co-operative commonwealth or republic). It attempts to bring about Socialism through peaceful democratic means as opposed to violent insurrection, and represents the reformist tradition of Socialism.It is similar, but not necessarily identical (although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably), to Social Democracy. This refers to an ideology that is more centrist and supports a broadly Capitalist system, with some social reforms (such as the welfare state), intended to make it more equitable and humane. Democratic Socialism, by contrast, implies an ideology that is more left-wing and supportive of a fully socialist system, established either by gradually reforming Capitalism from within, or by some form of revolutionary transformation.

Revolutionary Socialism advocates the need for fundamental social change through revolution or insurrection (rather than gradual refom) as a strategy to achieve a socialist society. The Third International, which was founded following the Russian Revolution of 1917, defined itself in terms of Revolutionary Socialism but also became widely identified with Communism. Trotskyism is the theory of Revolutionary Socialism as advocated by Leon Trotsky (1879 - 1940), declaring the need for an international proletarian revolution (rather than Stalin's "socialism in one country") and unwavering support for a true dictatorship of the proletariat based on democratic principles. Luxemburgism is another Revolutionary Socialist tradition, based on the writings of Rosa Luxemburg (1970 - 1919). It is similar to Trotskyism in its opposition to the Totalitarianism of Stalin, while simultaneously avoiding the reformist politics of modern Social Democracy.

Utopian Socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought in the first quarter of the 19th Century. In general, it was used by later socialist thinkers to describe early socialist, or quasi-socialist, intellectuals who created hypothetical visions of perfect egalitarian and communalist societies without actually concerning themselves with the manner in which these societies could be created or sustained. They rejected all political (and especially all revolutionary) action, and wished to attain their ends by peaceful means and small experiments, which more practical socialists like Karl Marx saw as necessarily doomed to failure. But the early theoretical work of people like Robert Owen (1771-1858), Charles Fourier (1772-1837) and tienne Cabet (17881856) gave much of the impetus to later socialist movements.

Libertarian Socialism aims to create a society without political, economic or social hierarchies, in which every person would have free, equal access to tools of information and production. This would be achieved through the abolition of authoritarian institutions and private property, so that direct control of the means of production and resources will be gained by the working class and society as a whole. Most Libertarian Socialists advocate abolishing the state altogether, in much the same way as Utopian Socialists and many varieties of Anarchism (including Social Anarchism, Anarcho-Communism, Anarcho-Collectivism and Anarcho-Syndicalism).

Market Socialism is a term used to define an economic system in which there is a market economy directed and guided by socialist planners, and where prices would be set through trial and error (making adjustments as shortages and surpluses occur) rather than relying on a free price mechanism. By contrast, a Socialist Market Economy, such as that practiced in the People's Republic of China, in one where major industries are owned by state entities, but compete with each other within a pricing system set by the market and the state does not routinely intervene in the setting of prices.

Eco-Socialism (or Green Socialism or Socialist Ecology) is an ideology merging aspects of Marxism, Socialism, Green politics, ecology and the anti-globalization movement. They advocate the non-violent dismantling of Capitalism and the State, focusing on collective ownership of the means of production, in order to mitigate the social exclusion, poverty and environmental degradation brought about (as they see it) by the capitalist system, globalization and imperialism.

Christian Socialism generally refers to those on the Christian left whose politics are both Christian and socialist, and who see these two things as being interconnected. Christian socialists draw parallels between what some have characterized as the egalitarian and anti-establishment message of Jesus, and the messages of modern Socialism.

Theocracy Rule by the churcha form of government in which a deity is officially recognized as the civil Ruler and official policy is governed by officials regarded as divinely guided, or is pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religion or religious group.From the perspective of the theocratic government, "God himself is recognized as the head" of the state, from the Koine Greek "rule of God", a term used by Josephus for the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.Taken literally or strictly, theocracy means rule by God or gods and refers primarily to an internal "rule of the heart", especially in its biblical application. In a pure theocracy, the civil leader is believed to have a direct personal connection with the civilization's divinity. For example, Moses led the Israelites, and Muhammad ruled the early Muslims. Law proclaimed by the ruler is also considered a divine revelation, and hence the law of God.the Rev. Isaac Backus , the most prominent Baptist minister in New EnglandIn 1773EcclesiocracyBuddhismZoroastrianism

Totalitarianism Government control of all activitiesA totalitarian government seeks to control not only all economic and political matters but the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population, erasing the distinction between state and society. The citizen's duty to the state becomes the primary concern of the community, and the goal of the state is the replacement of existing society with a perfect society.

by the Weimar German jurist, and later Nazi academic, Carl Schmitt and Italian fascists.Concept forged in 1923 to distinguish modern regimes from traditional dictatorshipsCommunismNazismIslam

Trotskyism Form of Marxism incorporating the concept of permanent revolutionTactically, Trotsky emphasized the necessity of finding or creating a revolutionary situation, of educating the working class in order to revolutionize it, of seeing that the party remained open to the various revolutionary tendencies and avoided becoming bureaucratized, and finally, when the time for insurrection comes, of organizing it according to a detailed plan.Leon Trotsky and his followers. Trotsky played a leading role in both the Russian Revolution of 1905 and that of 1917.the Russian Revolution of 1905 and that of 1917.Marxism Neo Trotskyism