3.1: State Ideology
3.1.1: Democracy
Read Chapter 4 through the subheading “Other Forms of Government: Monarchy” in Section 4.2. When you finish this reading, you should be familiar with the following concepts:
- Direct democracy
- Initiatives
- Referenda
- Republics
- Illiberal democracies
- Direct democracy
Watch both parts of Yale University Professor Ian Shapiro’s lecture on democracy and majority rule. Shapiro's focus in these two lectures is majority rule, democratic competition, and representation. Providing both historical and contemporary examples, Shapiro shows how majority rule lends legitimacy to collective decisions. He also explores concerns about the tyranny of the majority. True democracies require both majority rule, but also the protection of minority rights.
3.1.1.1: Democratic Capitalism
If you recall, to “study politics is to “study power—who gets what, and how.” Since politics is about the distribution of resources in a society, studying economics is critical. Some of the most contentious political questions involve questions of economics: How much should wealthy citizens pay in taxes? How much should lower-income citizens pay in taxes? Where should those tax dollars go? What is fair, and what is not fair? In this reading, you will read about “Democratic Capitalism,” which is the United States’ answer to some of these questions of how resources should be distributed in a society. Pay close attention to the “three pillars” of a democratic capitalist political-economic system.
3.1.1.2: Democratic Socialism
As the name implies, “democratic socialism” relies on a democratic political system and a socialist economic system. Generally speaking, democratic capitalism values economic freedom more than economic equality. Proponents of democratic socialism would be more likely to highly value economic equality than would proponents of democratic capitalism. Which do you think is more important in political-economic systems, freedom or equality? Do you think freedom and equality are mutually exclusive economic goals?
In the previous reading, you explored the definition of democratic socialism. This audio clip gives you the opportunity to hear how the term “democratic socialism” can be applied to contemporary politics. Particularly, at minute 9:00, the speaker describes the difference between socialists and communists. Socialists, he describes, were those who wanted to work within the system, making it better, while communists were determined to have only state enterprise and economic planning. Then, there was a third group of socialists who wanted a socialism that was closely intertwined with and “married” to a real democracy. Listen closely from minute 10:00, as it describes carefully what democratic socialism looks like in practice.
3.1.2: Non-democratic Regimes
Read from the subheading “Other Forms of Government: Monarchy” to the end of Section 4.2. Think back to Unit 1, where we considered a government’s source of legitimacy. What do you think is the source of legitimacy for monarchies, constitutional monarchies, authoritarian governments, and totalitarian governments? According to this reading, a survey of experts classified 53 states as authoritarian, 37 as hybrid, 53 as flawed democracies, and only 25 as full democracies. Why do you think democracy is so hard to achieve and sustain?
3.1.2.1: Marxism and Communism
In capitalism, private property rights are fundamental and freedom in economic interactions is paramount. Marxism and communism offer an alternative explanation of socioeconomic structures that focuses more on the exploitative potential of capitalism. How else is Marx’s view of social-economic relations different than the capitalist view?
Read the section “The Communist Economic System,” and then click “next” twice so that you also read “The Benefits of Communism,” and “The Disadvantages of Communism.” These sections expand upon the ideas introduced in the previous reading. Be sure you click “next” twice so that you read all of the relevant sections. In particular, these sections describe the economic features of a communist system, which include collective state ownership of capital, and state control over inputs, outputs, labor, and prices. In theory, communism provides some benefits, such as equality and job security for all. However, in practice, communist economic systems have been shown to be quite inefficient. Do you think it will ever be possible to create a well-functioning communist state?
3.1.2.2: Fascism and National Socialism
Read this definition of fascism and keep it in mind as you read more about Mussolini’s fascist state and the Nazi state.
Watch this lecture on the life of Adolf Hitler and how Nazism took hold in pre-World War II Germany. Merriman describes the economic, political, and social situation in Germany that allowed Hitler and Nazism to take root. Fascism and National Socialism are extreme forms of state ideologies. According to Merriman, “The Nazis and other fascist groups are better at saying whom they were against than what they wanted. What they want is ultra-nationalism. What they want is a totalitarian state and the destruction of parliamentary rule.” Why do you think fascists and other authoritarian governments tend to focus more on “whom they were against than what they wanted”?
Read the first section under "National Socialism". In its intense nationalism, mass appeal, and dictatorial rule, National Socialism shared many elements with Italian fascism. However, Nazism was far more extreme both in its ideas and in its practice. In almost every respect, it was an anti-intellectual and a theoretical movement, emphasizing the will of the charismatic dictator as the sole source of inspiration of a people and a nation, as well as a vision of annihilation of all enemies of the Aryan race. Think back to the original definition of “fascism.” What parts of that definition do you think could apply to the Nazi state?
3.1.2.3: Islamism
Read the introductory paragraphs and the section under “Definitions.” Islamism is Islam reformulated as a modern ideology. Whereas Islam was traditionally conceived as being in a class with Judaism and Christianity, Islamism is a response to ideologies that emerged in the modern West: communism, socialism, or capitalism. With the revival of radical Islam and its ties to terrorist activity (i.e., the 9/11 attacks), much attention has been focused among Western leaders on both the resurgence and the future of Islamism.
Watch this panel discussion from the World Economic Forum. At the beginning of the panel discussion, the moderator asks the panel participants to consider the question, “What is political Islam?” At minute 4:00, one panel participant explains that Islam has always been actively integrated with politics, with morality, with “everything.” He states that, “A Muslim person has a responsibility to be active in every part of his life, including political matters.” To him, “political Islam,” occurs when fundamentalist Muslims are fighting to impose their political views on others, even to non-Muslims. Many religions seek to influence politics, so what do you think separates Islamism from traditional types of religious expression?