Ideologies

An Ideology is a consciously held system of beliefs about government and politics. 

Ideologies are usually grouped from right to left on a straight line.  Check out this Web site by Political Compass, which places ideologies in a coordinate system  of authoritarian/liberatian on the y-axis and right/left  on the x-axis, at  http://www.digitalronin.f2s.com/politicalcompass/index.html.  This program provides a self test and analyses the results.

Most Americans do not hold a clearly defined ideology  Most of us are moderate.  We pick and choose among different political ideas without any clear consistency.  Our own self interest, pragmatism, and what works are usually more important than rigid ideologies.

To the extent that Americans do have ideological beliefs, they fall mainly within the liberal-conservative spectrum.  In many other countries, the ideological spectrum is much broader than it is in the US.

Communism. . . Socialism. . . Liberalism. . . Conservatism. . . Fascism

Ideologies can be classified on where they stand on the questions of
  

Ideological Matrix

                                         Economic Equality                  Private Property

authoritarianism            Communism                             Fascism

democracy                        Socialism         Liberalism       Conservatism

It should be noted Communism and Fascism are both anti-democratic.  Indeed both are not only authoritarian but totalitarian in their approach toward government.  These ideologies differ from each other in that Communism seeks economic equality whereas Fascism or Nazism favor private property and economic inequality.

American liberalism and conservatism both favor democratic forms of government and support private property rights.  They disagree on how much economic equality is desirable and the extent to which governmental actions should help bring about greater equality.

Broad policy differences divide Liberals and Conservatives in the United States not only on economic issues but also on matters of national security, social policies, and family values.  Some of these differences are outlined below.

Policy Differences Between Liberals and Conservatives in the U.S.

                                         Conservative                         Liberal

National Security

                                       Strong Military                     Adequate Military
                                       Isolationism                          Internationalism
                                       Unilateralism                        Multilateralism
                                                                                              United Nations

Economic Policy

                                       Economic Liberalism                  Keynsian Economics
                                       Free Markets                             Government Regulation
                                       Balanced Budget                         Deficits when necessary
                                       Low taxes                                     Progressive taxes
                                       Limited Government                   Strong Government
                                       Tolerant of Corporations            Prevent Oligopoly
                                        Tax Cuts                                     Government Spending

Social Programs

                                       Individual Responsibility            Social Safety Net
                                       Private Charity                           Public Welfare
                                       Privatize Social Security             Extend Social Security
                                       Private Health Coverage             National Health Care
                                       Private Prescription Drug           Government-Run Prescription
                                            Insurance Plan                               Drug Insurance Plan

Family Values

                                        Traditional family                       Many types of families
                                         Marriage                                    Many life styles including Homosexual
                                                                                                and Lesbian Relationships
                                         Traditional Judeo-Christian    Tolerance for Many Religious and Ethical
                                          Religious Values                         Traditions 
                                        Opposed to Abortion                   Freedom of Choice