Consensus and Ideology

“Whether a word like ideology can properly be employed in the American context depends, in part, on which of its many connotations one chooses to emphasize. Agreement on the meaning of the term is far from universal, but a tendency can be discerned among contemporary writers to regard ideologies as systems of belief that are elaborate, integrated, and coherent, that justify the exercise of power, explain and judge historical events, identify political right and wrong, set forth the interconnections (causal and moral) between politics and other spheres of activity, and furnish guides for action.8 While liberal democracy does not fulfill perfectly the terms of this definition, it comes close enough, in my opinion, to be considered an ideology.9 The elements of liberal democratic thought are not nearly so vague as they are sometimes made out to be, and their coalescence into a single body of belief is by no means fortuitous. American democratic "ideology" possesses an elaborately defined theory, a body of interrelated assumptions, axioms, and principles, and a set of ideals that serve as guides for action. Its tenets, postulates, sentiments, and values inspired the great revolu
tions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and have been repeatedly and explicitly
set forth in fundamental documents, such as
the Constitution, the Declaration, and the
Federalist Papers. They have been restated with remarkable unanimity in the messages of Presidents, in political speeches, in the pronouncements of judges and constitutional commentators, and in the writings of political theorists, historians, and publicists. They are so familiar that we are likely to see them not as a coherent union of ideas and principles embodying a well-defined political tendency, but as a miscellany of slogans and noble sentiments to be trotted out on ceremonial occasions.” 

This paragraph came from the essay “Consensus and Ideology in American Politics” by Herbert McClosky. This paragraph defines ideology through McClosky, he defines it his way, keep in mind this paper was written in 1964. McClosky questions if the word ideology can really be used the right way, he mentions there are many ways it could be used depending on the context of the conversation. Which is true for many terms. He sees ideologies as systems, he emphasizes its importance and relevance to power, and he explains that it came to be through certain outcomes of history. But in basic terms it’s a set of belief’s and ethics, integrated in today’s political society as right and wrong. He also mentions in this paragraph that liberal democracy is defined differently but in his belief its still an ideology because different elements of something join together and become one. Liberal democracy is a set of beliefs that aren’t accidental. American democratic ideology has its own beliefs and set of ideas that serve as guidelines. These ideologies are responsible for the revolutions of the seventeenth and eighteenth century. American democratic ideology has also been used in the constitution, declaration of independent and the federalist papers. Basically American democratic ideology has made a huge influence on politics and their actions in all aspects. McClosky sees them as very familiar patterns or actions but not as one union of beliefs. To him it’s more of common repetitive actions that don’t mean much.

I chose this paragraph because I disagree with McClosky on a few points that are brought up in this paragraph. American democratic ideology is important to have, especially today! “Accountability, limited or constitutional government, representation, majority rule, minority rights, the principle of political opposition, freedom of thought, speech, press and assembly, equality of opportunity, religion, political opposition, equality before the law, the rights of judicial defense and individual self-determination” as McClosky states this in the paragraph that follows the one above, this is American liberal democracy ideology. They do form an integrated body of ideas because they al derive from freedom, right versus wrong, ad the rights we are given as people. They all work together therefore that makes them one. One has to be responsible for the actions they commit, just like there should be rights in place, freedom in place and other laws in place to maintain liberal democracy!