Unit 1 - Identity/Ideology and Individualism/Collectivism Flashcards
(77 cards)
1
Q
What is an ideology?
A
- A set of internally consistent principles of ideas that explains the world and humanity’s place within it
Based on: - Beliefs about human nature
- Beliefs about structure of society
- An interpretation of history
- A vision of the future
2
Q
Nature of Humanity
A
Are people….?
- Good vs evil
- Rational and logical vs irrational and emotional
- Nurture vs nature or blank slate
3
Q
Structure of Society
A
- Making of political decisions
- Distribution of economic resources
- Acceptable social behaviour
- Hierarchy, class system
- Amount of social mobility
- Individual vs government role in society
- Dissent or conformity
4
Q
Golden Age
A
An idea that the past was our best time, many people working, and a good economy
5
Q
Utopia vs Dystopia
A
Utopia - perfection, positive view of our future, society is thriving and innovative
Dystopia - no trust, many issues, negative view of our future
6
Q
Characteristics of Liberalism
A
- Freedom for the individual
- Humans are rational and good
- Individuals should pursue their own self-interest
- Minimal government interference
- Past included increasing personal freedom and economic improvement
- Free and open society based of equal rights and political problems
7
Q
Characteristics of Communism
A
- Rejects the ideas of liberalism
- Share with others
- Humans are greedy and need to be controlled by the state
- Government favours the collective interest and controls the economy
- Past included class conflict between wealthy and working class
- Future classless, fully equal society
8
Q
Social Contract
A
- Government get their authority from the people and their beliefs
- Balance between security and freedom
- Citizens give up some freedom for security offered by the government
- In Canada - charter of rights and freedoms
9
Q
Anarchy
A
- Absolute freedom in society with no government control
10
Q
Direct Democracy
A
A government values independence and freedom, where groups with different ideologies are able to form the government and make decisions
11
Q
Divine Rights Theory
A
- Where the king of a society rules from the will of god, only god ca judge him and not the people
- God will punish them if they oppose to the king
12
Q
Divine Right of Kings (Pre-Enlightenment)
A
- King was not subject to the people
- Revolution was treason and blasphemous against god
- Dictatorship
- Individuals need to conform
13
Q
Thomas Hobbes
A
- Human nature is characterized by fear, violence, and greedy self-interest
- Everyone is only concerned with themselves and their well-being
- We need more security than freedom
- Monarchy or dictatorship
- Individuals need to conform - but dissent is acceptable is government can’t provide security
14
Q
John Locke
A
- People are rational, intelligent, and reasonable
- The source of power comes from the people as they can make reasonable decisions
- Governments are only able to protect life, liberty, and property
- Believed that government action had to be justified by popular consent
- Liberalism
- Rebellion acceptable is freedoms are restricted
15
Q
Jean Jacques Rousseau
A
- People are inherently good, but have been corrupted by society
- Humans are naturally free, but have lost compassion and have become selfish to each other
- Wanted humans to go back to their unchanging characteristics that made them good and equal
- People have absolute authority and power to make decisions to promote freedom
- Against a representative democracy
- Authoritarian government
16
Q
The Patriot Act
A
- Occurred after the 9-11 attacks
- Allowed government to have increased powers of surveillance over citizens to prevent terrorism
*** More security decreased freedom - Power to read emails and access library borrowing records
- Border and airport security heavily increased with restrictions
- An example of a social contract
17
Q
Arab Spring
A
- Protestors demanded increased rights, economic opportunities, and free elections of new governments
- They were calling for a more democratic society
- Opposite of patriot act
** Demanded more freedom for less security - Caused some regimes to lose power, but mostly resulted in failed civil wars
18
Q
Autocracy
A
Rule by an elite/group of individuals
19
Q
Theocracy
A
Rule by a religious group
Ex: ISIS
20
Q
Democracy
A
Political/economic freedom
21
Q
Themes of Ideology
A
- Nation
- Class
- Religion
- Race
- Environment/relationship to the land
- Gender
- Progressivism
22
Q
Radicals
A
- Fundamental and rapid changes made to existing political systems
- Left wing - violence and revolution used
23
Q
Liberals
A
- Want significant change to the existing political systems, but favour using legal means and will ask the government for changes
- Left wing - non-violent
24
Q
Moderates
A
- Gradual change and generally support the maintenance of the present political status quo
- In the middle of political spectrum
25
Conservatives
- Resist change, believe in order and tradition and oppose to the use of government to change society
- Right wing, non-violent
26
Reactionary
- Wish to return society to an earlier form of government, want lots of change - back in time
- Right wing, will turn to violence or revolution
27
Individual Identity
- The idea you have of yourself as a unique individual
- The collection of traits, beliefs, and values that distinguish you from others
- Source of your opinions and point of view
28
Collective Identity
- The identity you share with others as a part of a larger social group
- Source of your perspectives and worldview
- Ex: Māori Haka
29
Factors Shaping Identity
- Family
- Culture
- Language
- Gender
- Religion and Spirituality
- Environment
- Media
- Ideology
30
Realism
- Belief that human behaviour is based on achieving power and economic advantage
- Emphasize the negative outcomes of identifying with ideology
- Believe that ideology justifies injustice
- Identifying with ideology is an alternative to thinking about morality
- Corruption to see success
31
Idealism
- Belief that human behaviour is based on ideas, values, and principles that should apply equally to all
- Emphasize the positive outcomes of identifying with ideology
- Ideology gives meaning to life and value to human activity
- Identifying with ideology as a starting point for identity
- More positive than a realist
32
Pragmatism
- Belief that human behaviour is based on problem-solving and pursuing ideas that appear to best solve these problems
- Judge ideologies based by their success
- Quick to adopt the ideas of other ideologies
- Emphasize results over values
33
Individualism on the Political Spectrum
- Right side of political spectrum
- Inequality, traditional values, property rights
34
Collectivism on the Political Spectrum
- Left side of the political spectrum
- Equality, progressive values
35
Fascism on the Political Spectrum
- Ideology of the far right, although rights of the individual are not always protected
36
Individualism on the Economic Spectrum
- Right of the economic spectrum
- Supply and demand, private property, competition
37
Collectivism on the Economic Spectrum
- Left of economic spectrum
- Government involvement, public property, cooperation
38
Principles of Individualism
PRINCES
- Private property
- Rule of law
- Individual rights
- No government
- Competition
- Economic freedom
- Self-interest
39
Individualism in terms of ideology
- Liberalism
- Political - democratic
- Economic - capitalism or free market
40
Rule of Law
- Every individual is equal before the law
41
Individual Rights and Freedoms
- Right to life, liberty, and security is fundamental
- Protected by a constitution, bill of rights, or charter
- Right to vote
- Freedom of expression
42
Limited Government
- Power of government limited by a constitution
- Authority comes from the will of the people
43
Private Property
- Creates distinction of wealth in society
4 categories:
- Real estate
- Other physical possessions
- Businesses
- Intellectual property (music, inventions, etc.)
44
Self-Interest
- Supply and demand control the marker by setting prices
- Can lead to exploitation
45
Adam Smith
- Wealth of Nations - "invisible hand" that guides people to make rational economic decisions to benefit society
- Individual self interest will guide individuals to make a profit
46
Competition
- Competition between producers resulting in benefit for consumers
- Lower prices, better quality, innovation, more variety
47
Monopolies
- Where one producer dominates a market and has minimal competition
48
Economic Freedom
- Called a free market
- Freedom to buy and sell property to whoever, whenever, at whatever price
- Relies on self interest
- Freedom to buy and sell labor
49
Principles of Collectivism
PRINCES
- Public property
- Responsibility from the collective
- Interest in the collective
- Norms in the group
- Cooperation
- Economic equality
- Strong government
50
Collectivism in terms of ideology
- Socialism
- Political - authoritarian
- Economic - centrally planned/command (extreme left)
51
Collective Interest
- Goals and interests are best met through addressing them as a group
- Social movements - come together to press for change and reform
- Labour unions
52
Collective Responsibility
- Holding the entire group accountable - interests of the group supersede individual
- Can be positive (care for the sick, addressing social problems as a group, ex: drinking and driving)
- Can be negative (dictatorship, punishment for those who go against the group)
53
Collective Norms
- Standards or rules that the society deems to be acceptable
- Formal or informal
- Necessary for best interest of the group
- Ex: teachers - code of professional conduct, dress code
54
Strong Government
- Authority comes from the government acting for the group
- Dissent limited
55
Economic Equality
- Equal pay for equal work
- Taxation according to income levels
- Guaranteed annual income
- Sharing of wealth
- Free with no private property
56
Karl Marx
- Communist Manifsto
- Everyone should have enough to meet his/her needs
- Abolition of private property
- Only workers add value and should profit
57
Cooperation
- Based on voluntary membership
- Act for the collective/common good/goals of the group
- Monopolies are more efficient by eliminating costs of competition
58
Public Property
- Owned by the state/government and managed according to the best interest of the group
- Communism - owned by the government for the common good
59
Canada Public Property
- Crown land parks, schools, roads
- Crown corporations - CBC, Canada post, etc
- Usually essential services but not very profitable so entrepreneurs won’t try to own them
60
The Common Good
- Having the social systems, institutions, and environments which we all depend on to work in a manner which benefits everyone
- Examples: Accessible/affordable healthcare, public safety, thriving economy, etc
61
Culture
- Influences identity/beliefs
- Traditions, values, and beliefs of a group of people.
- May be an ethnic group or nationality, but can also be subcultures within a society (youth culture, culture of success at a corporation)
62
Language
- Factor that shapes identity/beliefs
- Shapes our communication with others
- Minority and majority language groups have different experiences and opportunities in society
63
Media
- Factor that shapes identity
- Source that provides people with information on a daily basis
- Advertising - what we see as success and helps form our needs
- Social media influences the way we interact with others
64
Relationship to the Land/Environment
- Factor that influences identity
- Impacts our opportunities in life and our beliefs/activity in response to development issues
65
Gender
- Factor influencing identity
- Norms for women and men in society
- Gender role stereotypes can lead to different actions and beliefs
66
Religion/Spirituality
- Factor influencing identity
- Religious communities and beliefs about god
- Belief there is no god (atheism)
67
Ideology
- Factor shaping our identity
- Political views, attitudes towards change, structure of society
68
ISIS
- Terrorist group which declared the creation of a religious caliphate in an area that was partly Iraq and partly Syria
- Massacred and enslaved religious and ethnic minorities, as well as women
69
Progressivism
- Factor shaping ideology
- The extent in which an ideology embraces or resists change
- Tend towards moderate social reform through government action
70
Nation
- Factor shaping ideology
- The extent in which collective ideal or a national identity is supported
71
Class
- Factor shaping ideology
- Embracing or resisting a collective ideal of class identity
- Support or resistance to divisions based on property or wealth
- Upper, middle, or lower class divisions
72
Extremism
- Extreme political or religious views
- Seen as radical
73
Medieval Society
Collectivism:
- Earliest human societies hunted and worked as a group
- Hutterites - practice a community of goods, where they all work together and their money belongs to the collective
Individualism
- Property laws for the individual in Lagash
- Aristotle discovered self-interest
74
Traditional Aboriginal Societies
Collectivism
- Land-holding, decision making, educating, raising children all done by the collective
- Emphasis on thinking and acting collectively - best for the community
75
Renaissance
Collectivism
- Discoveries shared with the collective
- Collective conformed to the ideas of discovering new ideas
Individualism
- Greater interest in the individual
- “Rebirth” - art about human nature
- Greek mythology - humans are strong and beautiful - humans capable of deciding their fates
- Study of nature and natural forces
76
Protestant Reformation
Collectivism
- Attachment to collective norms such as protesting and being part of religious Christian groups
Individualism
- Roman Catholic Church and their dominance challenged
- Printing press = more copies of bible = personal rather than collective research about religion
77
Modern Day Society
Collectivism
- Non-government organizations solving societal problems
Individualism
- Ownership of land and businesses
