Political ideologies are comprehensive systems of political beliefs.
More than particular opinions or suggestions for political programs, they contain interpretations of human nature, individual rights, and social life. They are oriented toward political action, containing particular suggestions for the structure of the state and authority, economic systems, and methods for solving political problems. Contention among competing ideologies is usually at the root of much political discourse and conflict. In this course we will examine and compare some major ideologies, beginning with the democratic ideal and the liberalism in which the West is currently immersed. Through it all, we will examine the historical circumstances of their development, their implementations, experiences within them, and their contributions to current political discourse.