What is your favorite political ideology?

I'm stuck doing homework and was wanting to ask my fellow ATS members about what political ideology they favor the most. Just to pass the time. Nothing is better then writing in pen all night long. If you can't think of a form of politics you believe in. Then post a person of interest you idolize. This should be fun.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


Homework is boring. I know exactly how you feel. For me, I find Communism extremely interesting, and have read the entire manifesto myself (for a University paper) However, I wouldn't say it's my favourite. In fact, I can't pin down one specific ideology that I would call my "favourite" because I like many different ideas from all across the spectrum.

Personally, I'm Anti-Abortion (conservative), pro homosexual rights (liberal), pro big government (fascist), pro transparency (libertarian), pro taxes (fascist), pro working class (liberal/communist), pro protectionist (nationalist/facist), etc. As you can see, there are many ideologies that I subscribe to, and it's hard to pinpoint it to exactly one. I suppose I could say I am in favour of a big, transparent, benevolent, nanny-state. Many people here on ATS would be very against my ideas, but that's what makes things awesome: diversity.

What about you, OP?

I think of political ideologies as tools in a toolbox. You cannot perform every task with a hammer alone. Sometimes you need a flat head screwdriver. Sometimes you need allen keys or a tape measure.

Similarly, no one political ideology always has it right. Sometimes you need the conservative ideology to fix a social problem. Sometimes you need to be liberal. Sometimes you may even need to resort to communism, socialism, or fascism.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


Democracies are appealing when the branches are able to keep each other in equal amounts of power and statehood is intact.

Glenn Beck

Anarchy and me have a lot in common. But they'll be surprised that I also favor a more Fascism type of goverment.

Originally posted by BlackHoleSun267
Anarchy and me have a lot in common. But they'll be surprised that I also favor a more Fascism type of goverment.

Oooh good choice
Fascism kinda turns me off because of the whole hitler thing but anarchy is sweet.

I don't completely adhere to one ideology because no ideology completely fits me.

Foreign policy = Isolationist
Economics = Economic nationalism, Social democracy
Social = Civil libertarian, Social progressivism

Overall I consider myself one of only a very few group of people. Very few outside of the political philosophy realm have ever heard of it. Utilitarianism

If you would like to learn about it go here: en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 5/5/10 by Misoir]

Thanks for posting guys! I have come a long way since I was a teenager and just voting for whoever was more favorable by Hollywood. Many people might call me weak. But I'm more of a person who's always on the center. I favor capitalism when it works well. With out we'll go bust. Socialism also works well, but it could destroy it self like many other countries that rejected a strong economic system. Anarchy is a great political philosophy, but I don't see people jumping off the wagon to leave the system. I hate governments who have total control of the people with an iron fist. But an organized government with a strong power will do well. Green politics will improve or country, environment and other world civilizations. health of the people will improve as well people saving more money as a result. What ever works well at the time being. Right now people need to relax more. But soon we're going to have to do a lot of labor. in order to achieve something great.

I think that most people are sort of guided by a mixture of ideas like the second poster pointed out.

For me, I think that POSSIBLY I could opt for a democratic socialism where we VOTE for how we will spend the money on what type of programs and NOT leave it up to the filthy few to make those decisions for us.

On a philosophical level I think a utilitarian/deontological hybrid as an outlook would serve us well.

If only... our Republic was a benevolent one...

Originally posted by BlackHoleSun267
Anarchy and me have a lot in common. But they'll be surprised that I also favor a more Fascism type of goverment.

Mmmm yes, I have to agree. Fascism does sound delicious. Hitler tainted it with fanaticism and anti-semitism. The problem with Fascism is that Government expenditures can become so high that the Government can only invade other countries to offset debt by securing resources, OR unemployment rises so high that the only way to subdue it is by entering into a war to keep the economy stimulated.

Originally posted by Misoir
I don't completely adhere to one ideology because no ideology completely fits me.

Foreign policy = Isolationist
Economics = Economic nationalism, Social democracy
Social = Civil libertarian, Social progressivism

Overall I consider myself one of only a very few group of people. Very few outside of the political philosophy realm have ever heard of it. Utilitarianism

If you would like to learn about it go here: en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 5/5/10 by Misoir]

Ah John Mill and Utilitarianism. In theory, Utilitarianism seems liberating and a good provider of freedom, but unfortunately Mill didn't for-see how large and powerful corporations could negatively impact people, giving them the illusion of Utility when in reality their actions would bring more harm then good.

I wrote a University paper arguing that the Communist Manifesto provided more freedom than John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty" and theory of Utilitarianism. It was a hard paper, but I got an A on it. I could send it to you if you want lol, but I'm sure you have better things to do with your time.

[edit on 113131p://333 by For(Home)Country]

reply to post by akalepos


That is known as direct democracy and it is partially practiced in Switzerland. They hold public referendums on certain issues several times a year, instead of having politicians voting on it. But, like I said, it is only partial direct democracy. Absolute direct democracy is favoured by democratic socialists though.

reply to post by For(Home)Country


There are several variants of Utilitarianism. You have the Libertarian model like Ludwig Von Mises supported all the way to Karl Marx who endorsed it while still being critical of it. It is the philosophy that accepts everything the maximizes happiness, it could mean being libertarian on certain economic issues and being Communist on others.

Political ideologies are prisons of the mind ... self inflicted ones at that.
Like trying to squeeze a three dimensional object into a one dimensional space ...
They are useful for those who wish to control and those who wish to be controlled ...
They are predicated on peoples' inherent desire to have communally validated thoughts ...
In my humble opinion.

Originally posted by Misoir
reply to post by For(Home)Country

 

There are several variants of Utilitarianism. You have the Libertarian model like Ludwig Von Mises supported all the way to Karl Marx who endorsed it while still being critical of it. It is the philosophy that accepts everything the maximizes happiness, it could mean being libertarian on certain economic issues and being Communist on others.

Now I don't want to derail the thread, but I find this sort of thought interesting. Happiness is unfortunately a mere tool that corporations use to manipulate the masses. Because we are so involved with mass media, we are told what makes us happy, and thus we seek it. It is the attitude of consumption that drives us towards our pre-defined happiness. We must first liberate ourselves from corporate influence through a nanny state before we can fully recognize what true happiness is. (Hint: It's not materialistic objects)

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
Political ideologies are prisons of the mind ... self inflicted ones at that.
Like trying to squeeze a three dimensional object into a one dimensional space ...
They are useful for those who wish to control and those who wish to be controlled ...
They are predicated on peoples' inherent desire to have communally validated thoughts ...
In my humble opinion.

Hmmm... why am I suddenly reminded of religion?

reply to post by akalepos


Because concepts are concepts and people are people.
The names of the concepts change but the dynamics are the same.

I was only kidding.

But more seriously, sure, control just IS what that is all about. We wouldn't need any of that if people wre simply decent, but there is always that element that is not.

But if we don't watch out here the thread will get hihacked, and it isn't nice for us to that.

reply to post by Informativeme


Here here. Thanks for agreeing with me!

Mix and match

I see a danger in letting either GOV or Corporations garnering too much power

I hate extremes, or better, put extremes in nature are never very good things

This next extreme swing I do fear, the wealth worship and defense is bothersome to say the least. Not that being wealthy is bad, however people are defending things that are slimy based upon a "persons" status is like Dresden peasant marches for golden men... Deflecting blame in many of the things that have rocked this nation, anger at one side, the FED, not at both sides, to embrace the robber and sentence the crooked
guard... Yet both are crooks of the highest magnitude.

Anyhow it might be what it will take for change, real change.

One day all your choices will be one choice with a different logo, I see we are putting that into high gear now... I wish I was separate so I could laugh at the new chainless slave class that will become more and more indentured, but I am not unfortunately.

IMO liberty is not transferring power from the peoples house to the house of private hands... Individuals have laws to adhere to, conglomerates do not as the individuals are obscured by the entity.

Some my reckon that is the point, people are free to bank power, but discussing this
is difficult because it could lead to the most subtle of slavery which appears to be "good work". We can and will be picked off one by one in our isolation and individualism, forgetting the fraternity our good forefathers poured into this nation in deed. We will swing once time too many and destroy the very balance that keeps us free.

People mistake this world for the America of a different era, I will wait for the final mistake and rejoice after the crawl back, when moderation is again virtuous.