Ideology refers to a set of consistent ideas Essay Example for Free

Ideology refers to a set of consistent ideas Essay Indeed, it encompasses the ideas that appear dominant enough to give reasonable explanations to the world in such a way that it appeals to the simple mind and can become the propelling force for his daily interactions among humans. Is defined as ‘a form of social or political philosophy in which practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones. It is a system of ideas that aspires both to explain the world and to change it. ’[Britannica Online Encyclopedia] It can also be described as a belief system shared by a specific group of people; the system determines the schema with which they see life and interpret events. It forms the basis of schema formation and modification. This refers to a system of politic that teaches a particular idea to group of people with a view to integrating their cognitive and affectionate skills into such ideas. It is an attempt to sell an idea perceived to be the ideal norm to guide the affairs of a clan of people towards productive living and stable community. Marx devised a base/superstructure model of society where society is greatly influenced by the dominant force-ruling-class, especially in terms of economic factors more than anything else. This model emphasizes the major influence the ruling class has through the superstructure over the base, because of their control of economic forces. The emphasis on economic factors as a major determinant in the model has endeared it to the heart of many critics. Suffice to say that indeed Karl Max has contributed immensely to the understanding of ‘ideology’ in relation to the areas where it has found application: politics, religion, economics, etc. REFERENCES Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9106294/ideology Concept of ideology. Accessed from http://tarlton. law. utexas. edu/lpop/etext/lsf/suretsky5. htm Conceptions of Ideology. Accessed from scholars. nus. edu. sg/post/poldiscourse/marxideology. html John, Lyne. Ideology, Accessed from scholars. nus. edu. sg/post/poldiscourse/marxideology. html.