Ideologies

Wikipedia defines a political ideology as such: "In social studies, a political ideology is a certain set of ethical ideals, principles, doctrines, myths or symbols of a social movement, institution, class or large group that explains how society should work and offers some political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order." In Airfortress, ideologies are a driving force in creating the tensions that exist through the Empire and Revolution Era and past the Long Peace.

## Left Wing Ideologies

### Aequalism

Also known as Orthodox Aequalism, Aequalism advocates for a liberation of all workers globally. The revolutionary tactic to achieve this is usually understood to be ‘vanguard democracy’ where a class conscious group commands the growing workers state and enables more people to join the vanguard. It differs from libertarian derivatives with its rejection of providing structural power to potentially counter revolutionary formations outside the vanguard (including trade unions or citizen councils) and it differs greatly from National Realism, still valuing democracy (even if it’s in a limited form by cooperativist or associationist terms), minority and women's rights and rooting itself in internationalism.

### Probabalism

The newest of the offshoots from Aequalism, Probabilism aims to ensure the Aequalist command economy through technological advancement and granular worker input. In doing so, it aims to solve the primary issues with Orthodox Aequalist ‘vanguard democracy’ (the creation of a bureaucratic class) and Cooperativism’s democratic confederations (the space for reactionary ideas to undermine workers liberation).  It differentiates from Aequalism with its valuation of input from outside the vanguard and Cooperativism with its rejection of formations outside of the party apparatus.

### Cooperativism

A libertarian Aequalist current, Cooperativism aims to build a revolutionary workers state with democratic foundations through a heavy emphasis on worker self management. It advocates for decentralized government structures such as confederations, popular assemblies, trade unions or workers councils. The theory originated in the chaos of post Civil War Arcea, and is viewed by other Aequalist tendencies as a dangerous compromise. However, the Arcean project has endured, making the tendency the most common Aeuqualist current by the 1800’s. It differentiates itself from orthodox Aequalist currents with its rejection of top down planning and centralised control, instead preferring a ‘decentralized planned economy’. Cooperativists also differ from Santyrans who view the Cooperativist projects as needlessly upholding hierarchical state institutions.

### Sanstyrans

An anarchist aequalist current, Sanstyrans aim to build a workers society free of a state, private ownership or other “unjust” hierarchies. Sanstyrans hold that people can work together through voluntary relationships and that hierarchies which cannot be justified, private or otherwise, are in effect, tyranny. It points to hierarchy in on itself as the problem aequalism must overcome, and that the problem with private ownership is that it entrenches unjust hierarchy. It views orthodox aeuqlism as doomed to recreate tyranny, and cooperativism as an unnecessary compromise.

## Right Wing Ideologies

### National Realism

An ideology often lacking in form or consistency, usually manifesting differently as the situation demands it, National Realism was born from the chaos of the late UHR with its stylings and rhetoric having been adopted by many strong men and jingoistic women across Unus Solum. It focuses heavily on the preservation of cultural norms, traditional power structures and “PracticalPolitik” in terms of foreign policy and holds that attempts to undermine these systems are forms of perversion or infiltration. It views loyalty to the state as being more important than all other loyalties, be it family or religion and holds that ‘waterfall’ power structures are an inherent good. Generally, National Realistis states work to unify people against a common enemy to motivate them, whether it be a dispossessed minority internally or a foreign nation/nationality. It differs from Aequalism on a vast number of topics, and Royalism with its tendency to inspire ideological fervor and its preference for more violent forms of repression.

### Royalism

While historically hardly an ideology and more so a way of governing, a distinct modern Royalist world view has come into being since the Karelian officers revolt. As such, it has a distinct Frida Hillevy aesthetic with monarchs being justified not just by some sort of religious right to rule, but also structurally. Royalists argue that monarchs can immediately act upon the advice of experts in the scientific, business and even labour community to create the best possible outcome via their unquestionable executive power. Unlike dictators, Monarchs have a unique paternal/maternal relationship with their people which motivates them to improve their nation. It differs from National Realism with its tendency to be comfortable with diversity (this doesn’t mean it aims to solve structural inequality among races or peoples) and it differs from Futurism with its elevation of traditional power structures.

### Futurism

Differing itself from National Realism and Royalism, Futurists believe that power should rest in the hands of visionaries, scientists and business moguls. It rejects monarchs, preferring a “merit” based system of promotion. It also rejects workers control as being inefficient and promoting the wrong sort of morals and ethics. It holds that markets are the best way to distribute resources, much like associationism, but does not promote democracy (nor does it reject it) as it believes there are objective goods that can be found via scientific processes and market calculus. Futurists hold that by providing the best in society with control of its resources, labour and culture, a better future can be made for all.

### Associationism

A product of the UHR and its founding ideology, associationism is built on a valuation of democracy, property rights and voluntary association. Associationists believe in government by consent and highly value individual rights and liberties. Importantly, Associationists believe actions which undermine any of these values, even if they are immediately efficient, will have long lasting negative effects that will ultimately make for a net negative. They reject ‘practicalpolitik’ and instead believe in mutual benefit. This strikes at the core of where they differ from left ideologies as well, believing that mutual gain can be found between classes, not just nations. Associationism is often tied to social construction, the belief that ideology defines reality, not the other way around, and that it’s important to drive others away from ‘radical’ ideologies and help them come to Associationism, which they hold as the best societal formation.