This essay is aimed to discuss the meaning of ideology and it different uses and abuses to which it may be put in a politics

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  This essay is aimed to discuss the meaning of ideology and it different uses and abuses to which it may be put in a politics. The term ideology has to do with legitimating the power of dominant social group or class. A dominant power which legitimate itself by promoting beliefs and values congenial to it naturalizing and universalising. This belief are to render them self evident and apparently inevitable (T. Eagleton 1991 p5). Ideology is the name given to any comprehensive and mutually consistent set of ideas by which a social group makes sense of the world. (Iain Mclean 1996 p233). When ideology is employed in the use of government it affect not only those who already conform to the ideology but those citizens who do not.

  Ideology is a body of ideas that reflect the beliefs of nation political system and which is called political ideology. Marx defined ideology as major instruments in the hands of ruling class, used to deceive subordinate classes about true nature of capitalism and to perpetuate its own dominion. (Godwin 1992 p20). An ideology may be seen not simply as social interest but as rationalising them. This means when try to defend something indefensible and cloaking some disreputable motive in high-sounding ethical terms( T. Eagleton1991 p51). In other words, ideology would be seem to make reference not only to belief systems, but to question of power, for example, the main opposition party in Britain, (Conservatives) pointed out some lapses by the ruling party (Labour) on health in which they let the public believed that some immigrant with tourism visa came here for there medical reason, they promise to put a stop to that practice by implementing new idea to health-screened immigrant before allowing them to enter Britain.

  Political ideology is a consistent sentiment of beliefs about one’s political environment. We usually think of ideology in terms of the liberal-conservative practice but political ideology may be multidimensional concept. Ideology is any system of interrelated ideas offering a comprehensive world-view and able to mobilise large numbers of people for or against political change. Ideologies contain interpretations of how societies have come to be as they are, prescriptions of goals to strive for in the future, and recommendations of strategies and policies by which these goals can be achieved, (Coxall and Robbins 1994 p66). The ideas that constitute ideology are illusory, but they are also regarded as ideas, which express the interests of the dominant class. (J.B Thompson p55).

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  Each ideology would provide a differing perspective on social inequality and each would employ a separate of dealing with the problem. I will attempt to outline the differing views and compare and contrast them against each other.

  Liberalism is the aimed of politics to preserve individual rights and to maximise freedom of choice. (Iain Mclean 1996:286). Liberalism has come to be the dominant ideology of the industrial West; its main themes are the individual, freedom, reason, justice and toleration. For liberal the belief of the primacy of individual is the characteristic theme and has had ...

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