Knowra Ideology Ideology An ideology is a system of ideas and values that explains society and guides political beliefs or social action. It shapes how people interpret power, institutions, and possible change.
Worldview : A broad framework of assumptions through which people interpret reality and their place in it. An ideology combines assumptions about society into a politically meaningful picture of the world.
Ideological state apparatus : Institutions such as schools, families, and media that reproduce social relations through ideas and practices. Louis Althusser used this concept to explain how ideology is reproduced beyond direct state coercion.
Antoine Destutt de Tracy : A French philosopher who coined “ideology” for a proposed science of ideas in the late eighteenth century. His original usage was more neutral and scientific than the word’s later political meanings.
Political doctrine : A defined set of political principles or teachings that directs belief or conduct. A doctrine is usually more explicit and bounded than an ideology’s broader social outlook.
Political philosophy : The systematic study of political ideas, institutions, justice, and legitimate authority. Ideologies draw on political philosophy but also circulate as practical social beliefs.
Propaganda : Communication designed to influence beliefs or behavior in support of a cause or authority. Propaganda can deliberately circulate ideological claims to mobilize support or discredit opponents.
French Revolution : A period of political upheaval in France beginning in 1789 that ended the monarchy and transformed European politics. Revolutionary politics formed the setting in which Destutt de Tracy developed the term.
Political party : An organized group that seeks political power by contesting elections or influencing government. Parties may promote ideologies, but they are organizations rather than systems of ideas.
Political myth : A shared narrative that gives political communities a compelling account of their origins, identity, or destiny. Such narratives make an ideology’s account of collective identity memorable and persuasive.
Political socialization : The process through which people acquire political beliefs, values, and habits. It traces how ideological commitments are learned across families, schools, and public life.
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