from many points of view liberalism may fairly be described as the
ideology of the capitalist era. As with many political terms no
definitive use of the concept can be prescribed – McClellan (1986)
notes 27 different interpretations of the concept – what is important
is that the sense in which it is used is clearly understood. Box 4.1
summarises three major views.
BOX 4.1 IDEOLOGY AS A POLITICAL CONCEPT
‘Right’ versus ‘left’
It is conventional to classify political movements and thinkers as
right wing or left wing. This apparently derives from the first French
National Assembly when the pro-monarchist conservatives sat on
the right and the revolutionary republicans sat on the left of a
semicircular assembly. The European and modern French parlia-
ments adopt a similar seating pattern to this day. Such a classification
can be controversial – the European Parliament groups have often
asserted they are to the left of the position that others see them in.
Clearly, too, what is radical and left wing in one context (e.g. repub-
licanism in British colonial North America) can become conservatism
in another time or place (e.g. republicanism in the modern United
States).
Generally speaking, however, the right is seen as against political,
economic and social change, the left in favour of it. The right tends to
be monarchist, clerical and favours the interests of the established
propertied classes, whilst the left is identified with republicanism,
anti-clericalism and the interests of the masses (workers or peasants).
This picture derives from French nineteenth-century politics.
IDEOLOGIES 71Popper: an all-encompassing and closed system of thought (the
opposite of scientific thinking).
Broad sense: any more or less coherent set of political principles.
Marxist: the dominant ideas of a society seen as reflecting its means of
production.