MCCCD Program Description

Political Ideologies

Course: POS210

First Term: 1994 Fall

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: Survey of twentieth century nondemocratic ideologies and movements with emphasis on Marx, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and Mao

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the classical view of human nature. (I) 2. Explain the distinction between natural and conventional, including how this distinction influences contemporary ideologies. (I) 3. Describe the classical views regarding community and political authority. (II) 4. Define political ideology. (II) 5. Identify the similarities between classical and modern political philosophies and the corresponding political ideologies. (II) 6. Construct a framework which makes it possible to distinguish/differentiate the major contemporary political ideologies. (II) 7. Explain how differing views of the degree of natural human equality justify different conceptions of the ideal political order. (II) 8. Explain why some political ideologies stress the centrality of strong political authority in the ideal political order, while others stress the importance of individual freedom. (II) 9. Describe traditional conservatism, and explain the relationship between this ideology and European feudalism. (III) 10. Explain the relationship between religious and political authority under feudalism. (II) 11. Explain the role of classical liberalism philosophers in seeking secular principles to legitimize political authority after the religious wars of the Reformation. (III) 12. Define classical liberalism. (III) 13. Describe the importance of equality, rational self interest, and individual freedom to the ideology of modern democracy and to its evolution. (III) 14. Explain the relationship between classical liberalism and the historic evolution of capitalism. (IV) 15. Explain Marx`s critique of classical liberalism and capitalism. (IV) 16. Describe the importance of faith in radical natural equality for the belief in the inevitability of progress to Marxism. (IV) 17. Describe the divisions which grew in the European Marxist movement as the revolution Marx predicted failed to materialize. (IV) 18. Explain how both Leninism and social democracy represent twentieth century outgrowth of the ideological division within Marxism. (IV) 19. Define welfare state liberalism and modern conservatism, and identify the common roots of each ideology in classical liberalism. (IV) 20. Distinguish welfare state liberalism and modern conservatism in terms of their response to capitalism and democracy. (IV) 21. Define fascism, and explain the links of this ideology to both traditional conservatism and chauvinistic nationalism. (IV)

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Form politcal philosophy to political ideology A. Principal concerns of political philosophy B. Definition of political ideology II. Ideological spectrum A. Historical/contemporary disputes about human nature 1. By nature, are people essentially equal or meaningfully diverse and unequal? 2. By nature, are people essentially solitary or sociable? B. Which is more essential to the perfect political order: legitimate political authority or individual freedom? III. The first political ideologies A. Traditional conservatism 1. The link between Christianity and political authority 2. Natural inequality and noblesse oblige B. Classical liberalism 1. Modern philosophy born in the attempt to legitimize political authority without recourse to religion 2. Natural equality and rational self interest: a justification for democracy IV. Contemporary political ideologies A. Ideologies of the left 1. Marxism, Leninism, and contemporary ideologies of race and gender 2. Democratic socialism 3. Welfare state liberalism B. Ideologies of the right 1. Modern conservatism 2. Libertarianism 3. Fascism C. Ideological variants 1. Feminism 2. Third World ideology 3. Anti Americanism

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 5/24/1994

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.