This document provides an overview of key political ideologies like conservatism and socialism, and discusses their main features. It explains that an ideology is a set of beliefs about how society works and how things could be improved. Conservatism generally believes in smaller government and personal responsibility, while socialism favors wealth redistribution and equal access to services. The document also directs students to research descriptions of these ideologies and take a political compass test to analyze ideology positions.

1. Political Theory
Ideologies
Conservatism v Socialism

2. Unit Aims
The purpose of this section is to explain key
political ideologies in relation to key political
theorists.
There are two key political ideologies which
will be studied.
– Conservatism (New Right, Neoliberalism,
Neoconservatism)
–Socialism (Marxism, Social Democracy, Third Way)

3. Political Ideologies
A Political ideology is a set of beliefs that explain how
society works and what the nature of individuals is. It
also has a view of how things can be improved and how
they should work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlQ5fGECmsA
Starter – look up each of these ideologies and write a small description of them

4. 20 Mark essay
To what extent are the key features of political
ideologies different?
In order to answer the question above, it is
necessary for us to understand three things:
• What an ideology is;
• The features of two different ideologies;
• How those features can be seen in contemporary
party polices.

5. Political Ideologies
• Political systems, parties and campaign groups
usually have a shared ideology underpinning
them​.
• Sometimes this is set out in a ‘manifesto’, or
other key documents outlining what the
movement stands for.
Labour are seen as slightly more socialist and left
wing.
Conservative are seen as slightly more conservative
and right wing.

7. Introducing Ideologies
• Broadly speaking, left wing socialists would be seen
traditionally to be in favour of wealth redistribution, taking
more money off the wealthy in taxes to allow increased
spending on the poor and marginalised groups. They believe
that the state (Government) should promote equal access to
essentials such as healthcare, education and jobs. ​
• In comparison, right wing conservatives traditionally believe
in a smaller state (smaller role), with people taking more
responsibility for themselves and their families. They tend to
believe in lower taxes and in less regulation for businesses,
along with reduced public spending on benefits and welfare.
This would also be seen as a capitalist approach.
*Handout*

8. Political Compass Test
• https://www.politicalcompass.org/test
Economic Dimension
Left wing – communist ideas. Believe that
wealth should be shared and society should not
be based on classes. Collectivists
Right wing – conservative ideas. Want to keep
individual wealth and think you should take care
of yourself. Individualists
Social Dimension
Authoritarian – the state controls all matters. It
is more important than the individual.
Libertarian – individual freedoms and liberty are
more important than the state

10. UK Politics

14. Research Task
Research the following Historical/Political figures.
Next to them write down where they would be
found on the political compass and why.
• Adolf Hitler
• Josef Stalin
• Kim Jong Un
• Jeremy Corbyn
• Nicola Sturgeon