POL 315
THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARXISM
In this context, ideology means a set of those ideas which are accepted
to be true by a particular group without further examination. These ideas
are invoked in order to justify or denounce a particular way of social,
economic or political organisation. In this sense, ideology is a matter of
faith; it has no scientific basis. Adherents of an ideology think that its
validity need not be subjected to verification. Different groups may
adhere to different ideologies; hence differences among them are
inevitable. Ideology, therefore, gives rise to love-hate relationship,
which is not conducive to scientific temper. Examples of some
ideologies are: liberalism, capitalism, socialism, Marxism, communism,
anarchism, fascism, imperialism, nationalism, internationalism, etc. An
ideology is action-oriented. It presents a cause before its adherents and
induces them to fight for that cause, and to make sacrifices for its
realisation.
The term 'ideology' was, originally, devised to describe the science of
ideas. In this sense, it seeks to determine how ideas are formed, how
they are distorted, and how true ideas could be segregated from false
ideas. It was Destutt de Tracy (1754-1836), a French scholar, who first
used the word 'ideology' during 1801-15 in his writings on the
Enlightenment. He defined it as a study of the process of forming ideas -
a science of ideas. Tracy observed that ideas are stimulated by the
physical environment; hence empirical learning (gained through senseexperience)
is the only source of knowledge. Supernatural or spiritual
phenomena have no role to play in the formation of real ideas. Science is
founded on these ideas. People could use science for the improvement of
social and political conditions.
Set of Ideas (on best form of
society and government
A matter of faith
Interested Search for Better
Society
Science of Ideas (on how
ideas are formed and
distorted)
A matter of critical examination
Characterised by Closed Mind
Instrument of Politics
Demands Subordination
toAuthority
Fig. 2.1:
(Adapted from Gauba, 2007:13)
Characterised by Open Mind
Disinterested Search for Better
Instrument of Politics
Allows Individuals to Question Authority
For Marx, ideology is a distortion of reality, a false picture of society. In
view of the contradictions that beset historical societies, it appears
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