Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal is a comprehensive look at the 21st century’s major political ideologies, their origins, and their development.

Using an analytical framework that promotes systematic comparison of political ideologies, this text helps students understand ideologies like a political scientist and learn that ideas have real consequences. Used on its own or with a companion reader like Ideals and Ideologies, Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal focuses students on critical rather than dogmatic thinking and on becoming open minded thinkers better able to defend their political beliefs.

Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal

Seventh Edition

Terence Ball

Richard Dagger

The new edition of this bestselling text continues to provide an accessible overview of the 21st century’s major political ideologies, their origins, and their development. In addition to examining the major isms liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and fascism the book explores the history, structure, supporting arguments, and internal complexities of these and recently emerging ideologies.

The text outlines a framework defining each ideology in terms of the four functions ideologies performs explanation, evaluation, orientation, and political program allowing students to compare, contrast, and analyze the various ideologies. In addition, the book also shows how each ideology interprets democracy (which the authors characterize as an ideal rather than an ideology) and freedom. In examining the latter notion, the authors analyze each ideology’s view of freedom in terms of agent, obstacle, and goal.

New to the Seventh Edition

-A discussion of the cultural preconditions of democracy and of their relevance for recent attempts to “democratize” formerly undemocratic countries in Chapter 2.

-Emerging tensions within liberalism regarding limits upon tolerating intolerant ideologies and political movements, especially as exemplified in recent European experience, in Chapter 3.

-Emerging tensions within conservatism, especially between religious right conservatism and other varieties of conservative theory and practice, and between neoconservatism and its conservative critics in Chapter 4.

-An entirely new discussion of Christian evangelical environmentalism or “Creation care” in Chapter 9.

-Greatly expanded coverage of radical Islamism, including deep divisions within Islam, rival interpretations of the Qur’an, and whether it makes sense to speak of “Islamic fascism” or “Islamofascism” in Chapter 10.

-Useful website listings within and at the end of each chapter.

Also Available Terrence Ball and Richard Dagger, Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader, 7/e (0-205-60735-7) A compilation of original readings from a wide range of ideological perspectives, this text puts students directly in touch with the thinkers and the ideas that have shaped our world. Pair the text and reader and receive a discount on the package price. Contact your representative for more information and to request a special package ISBN. www.pearsonhighered.com/replocator

Terence Ball is Professor of Political Science at Arizona State University.

PART I. IDEOLOGY AND DEMOCRACY