Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Throughout history and development of civilization as it is now known, there has been continuous growth and transformation of different regions, societies, and cultures. The evolution of man has also demonstrated an important reflection of the challenges and considerations of humanity and the continued emergence of technology and efficiencies that impact much of human civilization. As the modern era has evolved, it has become increasingly important to recognize the role of ideologies, political and otherwise, in the development of different perspectives and approaches to human activity and growth. In many ways, ideologies have been instrumental in promoting a positive impact on the growth of civilization, while in other ways, they have had a negative impact. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between these differences and to recognize the importance of the ideals and expectations of different cultures and religions in establishing a framework for the modern era of civilization that currently exists in the 21^st Century. These elements play a critical role in shaping how individuals act, think, and behave, and have also demonstrated that they have a significant influence on core values and beliefs. The following discussion will address the role of ideologies on the continued growth and transformation of civilization and how these belief systems have had both positive and negative impacts on human existence and the development of core values within population groups across different regions of the world and the many diverse cultures and groups that inhabit these regions.

Body

Many modern ideologies are centered on political and religious belief systems that demonstrate many different ideals and expectations regarding humanity and the manner in which humans conduct their affairs. It is important to recognize the impact of these ideologies and how they have influenced many generations with respect to religious persuasion and political beliefs. In modern civilization, many ideologies are based on political motivations and the need for democratic ideals in many industrialized nations (Ball and Dagger). However, it is also evident that in some countries, Communist principles remain a key priority and dictate how these nations are governed. Regardless of one’s political beliefs, how nations are governed is often out of the control of the people, even when they have a vote in the matter. Therefore, it is important to identify the areas where political ideologies have been instrumental in dividing groups and cultures to the extent that there is significant discord and limited opportunity for individual freedom and expression, even in countries such the United States, which was founded on the basic principles of freedom and opportunity.

There are considerable issues associated with political ideologies in the modern era and are largely represented by many cultures and perspectives, including a number of different religious persuasions. In recent history, civilization has taken a dramatic turn because there is a much greater emphasis on tragedy and terrorism, the majority of which is grounded in specific beliefs and ideologies (Liu et.al, 667). It is generally believed that “social representations of history are crucial to public beliefs about the legitimacy of political systems and central to justifications for political action. History is recognized across the social sciences and by politicians as an important symbolic resource to be mobilized in arguments for and against political regimes and their agendas” (Liu et.al 668). Under these conditions, it is believed that many individuals and groups have forever shifted the dynamic of history as a result of their political and religious beliefs, many of which have threatened the integrity of many societies and cultures due to their extreme core values (Liu et.al 668). Therefore, it is necessary to identify the areas in which political and religious ideologies have demonstrated a general lack of care and concern for humanity and have forever changed the manner in which human beings look at the world and at their surroundings (Liu et.al 668). A culture of fear and discord is now the status quo in many communities, much of which is based upon these basic ideologies and their impact on civilization (Liu et.al 668). The modern era is particularly vulnerable to ideological means and has been forever changed as a result of many actions taken against innocent people throughout the world (Liu et.al 668). Perhaps the most relevant example is the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, which were grounded in specific ideologies and principles that are not only extreme, but are detrimental for the future of modern civilization (Liu et.al 668).

From a political perspective, the ideologies that have been presented through extreme acts of terrorism have haunted much of the world over the past two decades. As a result, many believe that civilization is forever changed and is tarnished to some degree by the extreme evil that exists throughout the world. At the same time, there are many factors that attempt to reconcile these acts through peaceful means, but have not quite made the transition towards greater harmony and respect for all of humanity. These elements are critical because although there are many different types of cultures throughout the world, the large majority of the population would rather have peace then discord and violence on a regular basis. Therefore, it is often very difficult to reconcile these differences and to address the issues that often emerge with respect to political and religious ideologies due to the sensitive nature of these concerns and their impact on human development in the modern era. Although civilization has evolved over many, many years, it is strongly evident that the core principles upon which nations were founded have forever shifted as a result of political and religious ideologies and their impact on how humans conduct their affairs and lead their lives in the 21^st Century.

In many ways, civilization in the modern era is a strong representation of all that came before, including the mistakes that have been made and the positive decisions that have emerged. In this context, it is necessary to consider how modern ideologies have forever changed the landscape and continue to prevail in many cultures and regions of the world. This reflects the importance of ideologies to many cultures and religions which lead to challenging outcomes for those groups (Ball and Dagger). It is evident that in many cultures and societies, ideologies are instilled into the psyche of these groups and infiltrate almost every aspect of their daily living, from the clothes that are worn to the decisions that are made (Ball and Dagger). Therefore, ideologies often have full control over cultures and societies where these rules and belief systems govern in different ways (Ball and Dagger). The powerful nature of these ideologies demonstrates that the modern era of civilization is largely influenced by these belief systems and has frequently played a role in how human beings interact and view each other throughout the world (Ball and Dagger).

Ideologies are often considered to be political in nature; however, with the emergence of new perspectives and religious beliefs that are stronger than ever, there is a greater likelihood that religious and political ideologies coincide with each other and are instrumental in shaping how individuals respond to specific needs and the general state of society. Furthermore, it often appears to be the case that individuals are socially dependent on specific ideologies in that they conduct their affairs according to these beliefs without any semblance of division between these ideologies and their social context (Jost and Amodio 55). Many societies are so fully integrated into their political and/or religious ideologies that they are unable to separate them from their social activities, and this plays an important role in understanding what motivates many people within modern civilizations (Jost and Amodio 55). It is necessary to consider these roles and the development of new perspectives that are integrated into the modern social context of civilizations throughout the world (Jost and Amodio55). When ideologies have a significant presence on a given society, they reflect the importance of factors that motivate individuals to take action in specific ways that may or may not have a positive impact on the group as a whole (Jost and Amodio 55).

Conclusion

Throughout history, civilization has evolved through the growth and expansion of the world’s population and the impact of beliefs and core values on societies. The expansion of political and religious ideologies has been largely influential in shaping civilization in both positive and negative ways. It is important to recognize the strong influence of ideologies on the growth and development of civilizations and the creation of new societies and cultures. In the modern era, however, ideologies of the political and religious persuasions have been largely instrumental in facilitating change, often the expense of many innocent people who have been harmed as a result of these perspectives. Therefore, it is necessary to address how ideologies have a largely negative impact on many areas of civilization in modern society. This is an important issue in the continued development of societies as they reflect the belief systems and core values of their predecessors. The instability of modern civilizations is a direct result of the ideologies that have evolved throughout thousands of years of political and religious change throughout the world.

Works Cited

Ball, Terence, and Richard Dagger. Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader, 8^th Edition. Longman, 2010. Print.

Ball, Terence, and Richard Dagger. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, 8^th Edition. Pearson, 2010. Print.

Jost, John T., and David M. Amodio. “Political ideology as motivated social cognition: behavioral and neuroscientific evidence.” Motivation and Emotion, 36(2012): 55-64.

Liu, James H., Dario Paez, Patrycja Slawuta, Rosa Cabecinhas, Elza Techio, Dogan Kokdemir, Ragini Sen, Orsolya Vincze, Hamdi Muluk, Feixue Wang, and Anya Zlobina. “Representing World History in the 21^st Century: the Impact of 9/11, the Iraq War, and the Nation-State on Dynamics of Collective Remembering.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 40.4 (2009): 667-692.