SCHOOL NAME

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

First Semester S.Y. 2020-2021

MODULE 2
PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND
GOVERNANCE

Name: _______________________________ Date :__________

Grade/Section: ________________________ Week
:__________
Track/Strand: _________________________
Lesson 2 POLITICAL IDEOLOGY

WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?

This lesson mainly concerns itself with the concept and nature of an ideology. More
specifically, this focuses on political ideology. This lesson would discuss both right-wing
and left-wing political ideologies. In this context, we are going to discuss some of them one
by one to understand their similarities and differences. Hence, the lesson would clear the
significance of ideology in creating a better country and society.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO LEARN?

Content Standard:
 The learners demonstrate an understanding of politics and political
science, governance, political ideologies, power, states, nations, and
globalization.

Performance Standard:
 The learners clearly identify a specific political phenomenon and how
it can be studied.

Objectives:
After the lesson, the learners should be able to:
1. identify the basic tenets of major political ideologies;
2. differentiate the political ideologies; and
3. examine the relationship between political ideologies.

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY

Discuss the political beliefs of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

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WHAT IS AN IDEOLOGY?
 Each one of us has our own perspectives in life. This is a result of our upbringing and
context. Basically, we differ in our perspectives because we have unique experiences and
different understanding of these experiences. This would result into the formation of our
own beliefs and convictions that will guide us in our everyday life. In other words, this is
how we form our ideology.

An ideology is a comprehensive belief system that allows us to describe,

understand, and interpret the world. Similarly, an ideology is our world-view. This is how
we see our world. Apparently, when we talk about ideologies, they have ideas regarding all
aspects of human life- political, economic, and social. Thus, it is important to have a clear
ideology in trying to analyze what is happening in our world because this is our guiding
principle.

In light of the political aspect of life, we have our political ideology. A political
ideology is our point of view regarding political life. In political science, it is very
important to have a clear political ideology not only as individuals but also as a group.
Probably the most important group to have a political ideology would be a political party. A
political party is a social movement that has interest in gaining political power. It
RCHI
ANA

aggregates the individual political interests of individual members. Hence, the uniting
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LEFT-WING

factor of a political party is its ideology. Without a clear ideology, political turncoatism or
butterfly politics will occur most of the time. In the context of the Philippines, this political
SOCI
ALIS

phenomenon has persistently existed. The reason is that political parties here in the
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Philippines do not have a clear political ideology. In order for us to have a clear
understanding of these political ideologies, let us look at the following figure:
LIBER
ALIS
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CENTER
ERVAT
CONS
ISM

Figure 3. A Number Line depicting some Political Ideologies from the left- and right-wing
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LISM
ONA

RIGHT-WING

Figure 3 shows the different political ideologies both from the left-wing and the
right-wing. Of course, these are just some of the 1deologies since there are actually more of
them. In fact, there are even varieties within a single political ideology. For the purpose of
FASC
ISM

this book, we chose three (3) from each wing. But before we discuss these ideologies, we
must first determine the difference between left-wing and right-wing ideologies

The basic difference between the two has something to do with the relationship
between state and society. Left-wing ideologies lean towards society. Thus, it gives more
emphasis to the freedom of society, political participation, human rights, freedom, equality,
and the like. In fact, the concept of democracy is part of the left-wing belief. Right-wing
ideologies lean towards the state. It values stability, state, power, state intervention,
regulation of society, peace and order, and the like. The concept of authoritarianism or
dictatorship is a belief of the rightists. Apparently, there is no such thing as a center in the
context of political ideology. You can come near the center but, you can never consider
yourself a centrist. The reason is that if you are a centrist, then, you have no real perspective
or opinion. Obviously, this is impossible. It is either you lean towards the left or lean
towards the right.

Left-wing Ideology

1. Liberalism

The ideology of liberalism is quite popular. Liberalism is an ideology that

emphasizes individual freedom and participation. As an ideology, a lot states - including the
Philippines- have subscribed to this. Basically, it works well with the concept of democracy
because of its emphasis. To further understand this, let us look at its perspective in relation
to the different aspects of human behavior

Political: Liberalism views that human beings must be given freedom to choose their leaders and
government officials. Hence, the conduct of elections is an important activity in political liberalism.
Moreover, the protection of the natural rights of man (right to life, right to liberty, and right to
property) is also given significance in this ideology. In this context, political participation is given
more weight than that of government intervention.

Economic: Economic liberalism also emphasizes individual freedom in the market. It assumes
that human beings are rational and value maximizers. Consequently, when they choose a product or
commodity, individuals would choose a product based on its utility. Moreover, economic liberalism
believes that the market should be left alone. Hence, this is the concept of laissez faire or free market.
The state, then, should have a minimal role in the conduct of the economy.

Social: Social liberalism assumes that individual freedom and rights must be emphasized. They
should be given a chance to participate in conduct of governance with minimum state intervention.
The practice of their rights must be given utmost importance so that society will function well.

These assumptions make up the ideology of liberalism. As of today, this ideology has
been dominant because of its compatibility with democracy and capitalism. As Francis
Fukuyama has argued, liberal democracy and capitalism has triumphed after the Cold War.
It will remain this way because this is the "end of history". This means that there is no other
idea that can challenge this dominant one. All countries will eventually accept democracy
and capitalism at one point and it will never be challenged anymore.

2. Socialism

The ideology of socialism is close to the utopia of communism. As Karl Marx has
analyzed, socialism is the stage before communism. This will happen when the proletariat
has been successful at overthrowing the bourgeoisie. Hence, they will turn the social triangle
upside-down. In effect, the proletariat will now rule the state. With such rule, private
property will be abolished and equality will be achieved. To further illustrate the
assumptions of socialism, here are the beliefs of socialism:

Political: In the political side, socialists still believe in the existence of a stale. However, the state is
controlled by the proletariat class and not the elites. Hence, the main purpose of the state here is to
slowly wither away by assuring equality and freedom for everyone. This is the reason why the
rulers will use the power of the state to make sure that they can reach the ideal of communism.

Economic: In light of the economy, there is no private property anymore. Everything is owned by
the state. The state shall gradually distribute the property to everyone in an equal manner. Moreover,
the modes of production are not controlled by the elites anymore. Again, everyone will get a chance to
use the modes of production. Hence, this would allow the proletariat to better their lives.

Social: Socialism emphasizes equality in society. In this light, socialism assumes that there is no
need for the private property because each one would get his/her fair share. This would allow more
freedom and capability for an individual.

In this light, it cannot be denied that the main tenet of socialism is the concept of
equality. In all the different dimensions, the aim for equality is the vital ingredient. This is
the case because it aims to achieve the ultimate utopia or ideal of communism.

3. Anarchism

Basically, anarchism is considered as one of the most extreme, if not the most
extreme, left-wing political ideology. Its belief in the absence of a central authority makes it a
stateless ideology. Thus, most people would assume that anarchism is an ideology that
believes in chaos. This is a misconception. The reason is that anarchy is not synonymous
with chaos or war. To define anarchy, it is a situation wherein there is no central authority
to regulate the behavior of society. As John Locke described his state of nature, there is
anarchy but, it is not necessarily a state of war. Although there is potential for chaos, it is
different from the state of nature of Thomas Hobbes who believed that man is in a constant
state of war. In this light, it should be recognized that anarchists believe that the nature of
man is good. Due to such belief, there is no need for a central authority to regulate behavior
because man is capable of self-governance. Hence, anarchists also believe in an ideal world
where man will not do anything bad to his fellow man. At least, this is the original meaning
of anarchism as an ideology. The idea was, however, perversed by some anarchists who do
not want to be regulated by any authority. The following are the main assumptions of
anarchism:

Political: The anarchists believe that there is no need for a state to regulate the behavior of
human beings. There is no need for such institution because man is capable of self-governance.

Economic: Anarchists value individual freedom, choice, and preference in their economic life.
The market should not dictate the behavior of individuals. In fact, the individual preferences
would control how markets should operate.

Social: Again, individual freedom is at the heart of anarchism. There are norms and rules in society
but, there is no need to coerce individuals to follow it. The reason is that they are naturally good
and will not do anything harmful to their fellow men.

Anarchy is often a misunderstood political ideology. The reason is that most anarchists have
forgotten the roots of the ideology. In this light, there is a need to reorient the common
people on what s ideology originally means.

Right-wing Ideology
1. Conservatism

Essentially, the political ideology of conservatism focuses on idea that the status quo
or the current situation is the best one. Hence, it values traditions and customs that a state
has. In this light, the state's role is vital in maintaining the current situation so that it will
avoid any change. For conservatives, change is not good. The reason is that change can lead
to a worse situation. Thus, it is better to maintain status quo rather than change it. To further
understand this political ideology, here are the following assumptions:

Political: The state should do everything in its power to maintain status quo. In this case, the
state can use force or coercion to make sure that the traditions and customs of the state is followed.
Usually, conservatives promote the idea of monarchy since the sovereign or monarch (king or queen)
must maintain status quo. The reason is that their legitimacy is based on the traditions and customs.

Economic: In the economy, the conservatives propose a traditional kind of economy. The economy
must be controlled by the state so that it can control and regulate economic activities. The state
does not allow the idea of a free market. In this situation, the state is also responsible for distributing
the benefits of the economy.

Social: Society is repressed by the traditions and customs in this ideology. There is not much
room for liberty because everything should be done in accordance to the culture. In this context, the
people are not encouraged to catalyze change because there is almost no political participation. Thus,
conservatives do not believe in change coming from the grassroots.

2. Nationalism

Nationalism refers to the belief system where people believe that they belong to
one nation or people. In this context, this encourages a kind of ethnocentric behavior by the
state and society. This means that they view themselves and the culture as superior to other
cultures. Consequently, nationalists see the importance of the state in protecting its own
against anyone who is not part of the nation. Moreover, change is not encouraged especially
if it comes from "outsiders." The following would help us in better understanding the
ideology of nationalism:

Political: In the political aspect, nationalism would argue for strong state control. The purpose of
such is to disallow those people who do not belong to the nation from gaining any control in politics.
Hence, the members of the state should all be part of the nation. There is no room for creoles (half-
bloods) in the domain of the state. Hence, there is great possibility for discrimination in a nationalist
state.

Economic: A nationalist state promotes protectionist policies for its local industry. Hence, foreign
investors usually do not allow foreign investments. If foreigners are allowed in business, they
will be regulated strictly so that the local industries will be protected. In this context, there is
a need for strong state intervention and a command economy.

Social: In this aspect, the ideology encourages a degree of discrimination. The reason is that the
ideology encourages ethnocentrism. This is a belief that one's own culture is superior to others. In
this light, it will view other cultures are inferior. However, it does not mean that people from other
nations are not allowed. They are still allowed but, they will not be given much importance in any
societal interaction. Thus, there will be discrimination in a nationalist society.
3. Fascism

This political ideology became famous during the Second World War. It was Benito
Mussollini who made this ideology popular. Basically, this is almost the same as the
ideology of Adolf Hitler (Nazism). This is the reason that these two leaders are allies in
WWII. This ideology is sometimes tagged as the perversion of nationalism because this is
the result of übernationalism or "over nationalism". To understand this better, here are some
of its assumptions.

Political: The fascist state encourages a totalitarian state. This means that participation from
below does not happen. The state represses all the actions in society. Hence, this ideology views the
withering away of society. The reason for this is to make sure that only the nationals will remain in
state power. Consequently, there is NO way other nationals can come in. In fact, there is a very high
level of discrimination in a fascist state.

Economic: The economy is totally controlled by the state. There is no way that non-nationals
will enter a fascist economy. Also, the economy will be composed of protectionist policies that will
make sure that no foreign investments will come in. In this light, the fascist state must provide
incentives for the local investors so that they can produce the goods for society. Moreover, the goods
that cannot be provided by the local investors must be provided by the fascist state.

Social: There is a high level of oppression, repression, and discrimination in a fascist state.
Hence, the concept of freedom and human rights is non-existent in a fascist society. In this context,
there is zero political participation and people act in accordance with the order of the state.

Both left-wing and right wing ideologies have their distinct characteristics and
assumptions. Apparently, even if they are unique in a way, they have similarities that tie
them together in their own respective group. This is the reason why the book presented
these political ideologies in a way that they are part of a number line. Basically, this would
show that the farther they are from the center of the number line, the more extreme they
become. When you go farther in the left side, the more you incline towards society. In the
same manner, the farther you go right, the more you incline towards the state. The next
question now is why is this important in the dynamics of politics?

Why is Ideology Important?

The importance of political ideology cannot be undermined. As per the definition we

gave earlier, it is easy to discern why this is important in trying to understand the world. In
this light, we are going to discuss the importance of ideology by using different levels of
analysis: individual, group, and state. This will allow us to appreciate the utility of ideology
more.

A. Individual Level

Ideology is important for an individual person for the following reasons:

1. It serves as a guiding principle for the individual.

2. It allows people to understand the world better in accordance to the tenets of the
ideology.
3. It can provide a clear understanding of how one should act in a certain situation.
B. Group Level

Ideology can be considered to be more important in the context of groups especially

in the case of political parties. The following are the reason why ideology is important for groups:

1. It serves as the guiding principle of a specific group.

2. It is the "glue" that makes the group whole. Basically, an ideology can become the
uniting factor of a specific group. Although the members have different individual
interests, ideology can find a way to aggregate these interests.
3. For political parties, ideology serves as the foundation of the party. Without such,
political parties will be considered weak and will not be able to maintain its
membership. In this light, when a member of a specific political party wins, the
policy actions that this person will implement or make shall be based on the party's
ideology.
4. For civil society groups, ideology serves as their basis for social action. It can
provide a clear-cut way of addressing society's problems.

C. State Level

States usually are composed of a variety of different ideologies. In fact, the state can
serve as the arena wherein different ideologies compete. However, it is still important for
the state to have an ideology especially when it comes to the structures. The following are
the reasons why ideology is important in the state level:

1. An ideology can serve as a guide for its political structures and actions. For
example, a democratic state can be guided by the ideology of liberalism.
2. The ideology of the state can also serve as guide for the behavior of states in relation
to other states.

After all these discussions, we cannot deny the importance of ideology in our lives.
Being the guiding principle of individuals, groups, and states, an ideology must be utilized
to make society better. No matter what ideology you follow, the important thing is that it
will be used for the betterment of everyone.

Ideology is a comprehensive belief system that serves as the guiding principle in the
actions and behavior of individuals, groups, and states.
Left-wing ideology refers to the ideologies that lean toward more society and less
state.
Right-wing ideology refers to the ideologies that lean toward more state and less
society.
Ideology is important as a guiding principle for individuals, groups, and state.

ASSESSMENT

I. Identify the term being described in the following sentences. Write the answer on the
line before the number.
 ___________________________1. A comprehension belief system that allows us to
describe, understand, and interpret the world.
___________________________2. An ideology that emphasizes individual freedom and
participation.
___________________________3. The stage before communism.
___________________________4. The situation wherein there is no central authority to
regulate the behavior of society.
___________________________5. The belief system where people believe that they
belong to one nation or people.
___________________________6. This ideology is sometimes tagged as the perversion
of nationalism because this is the result of
übernationalism.
___________________________7. The social movement that has interest in gaining
political power.
___________________________8. The world leader who used Facism as an ideology.
___________________________9. The political phenomenon that describes a party
member jumping from one party to another.
___________________________10. The world leader who used Nazism as an ideology.

II. Identify the Political Ideology which stated the following ideas. Write your answer on
the blank.
__________________________1. Human beings must be given freedom to choose their
leaders and government officials.
__________________________2. Society is repressed by the traditions and the customs
of society.
__________________________3. There is zero political participation and people act in
accordance with the order of the state.
__________________________4. It assumes that human beings are rational and value-
maximizers.
__________________________5. The state should be controlled by the proletariat class
and not the elites.
__________________________6. The absence of central authority.
__________________________7. There is no need for a state to regulate the behavior of
human beings.
__________________________8. The state should do everything in its power to
maintain status quo.
__________________________9. The state can use force or coercion to make sure that
the traditions and customs of the state is followed.
__________________________10. The state should promote protectionist policies for its
local industry.

TEACHER’S FEEDBACK

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REFERENCES

Francisco, P. & Francisco, V. (2016). Philippine Politics and Governance for Senior High
School. Mindshappers Co., Inc., Intamuros, Manila.