Political Ideologies: An Introduction

This is a concise and readable introductory textbook which covers the major ideologies. The introductory chapter charts the resurgence of ideological controversy in Britain during recent years, and examines some of the problems that surround the concept of ideology. There follow individual chapters on liberalism, conservatism, socialism, democracy, nationalism and fascism. The contributors all take a twofold approach: the origins and historical background of the ideologies are explored and then examined in their contemporary - mainly British - political context. Students will thus learn to appreciate both the history and philosophy of political ideologies, and their relevance to our modern political fabric. Each chapter concludes with a guide to further reading for students who wish to pursue particular topics in greater depth.