Human Sociability, Political Ideologies, and Societal Challenges

Human Sociability vs. Animal Sociability

Key Differences Between Human and Animal Social Behavior

Animal Sociability

In the wild, animals are sorted and structured thanks to their instincts.

Human Sociability

  • Socio-natural trend
  • Social organization: freedom, intelligence

Political Science

Political science studies the institutional economics and government of a society.

Political Ideology

Definition of Ideology

A set of ideas, beliefs, principles, and rules that a person, company, or time has, which is manifested in how we interpret our world.

Definition of Political Ideology

A set of beliefs, prejudices, customs, and ideas related to the institutional organization of society and state governments, which are manifested in our actions and policy preferences.

Political Problems

Ethnocentrism

Definition

An attitude about imposing beliefs, values, ideas, and customs of one people over another because they are considered the only true and correct ones, judging others as erroneous.

Examples

The Greeks and the Romans regarded the culture and institutions of neighboring towns as inferior.

Respect and Tolerance

Definition of Tolerance

Respect, promotion, and protection of individual and collective rights (such as free speech, religious freedom, political freedom, etc.).

Respect and the Limits of Tolerance

Definition of Respect: Tolerance compatible with freedom and human dignity.

Examples of Challenges to Respect and Tolerance

  1. Ideological manipulation
  2. Religious fundamentalism
  3. Euthanasia
  4. Biological experimentation
  5. Sexual freedom
The Problem of Reconciling Freedoms

Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism

Authoritarianism

Definition

A political regime based on religious dogmas and the use of treachery.

The Case of Franco’s National Catholicism

A fundamentalist regime in Europe that emerged in the late 19th century, based on the rejection of liberal and progressive ideas and the implementation of a Catholic state in Spain.

Characteristics
  1. Dogmatic and intolerant reactionary attitude
  2. Uncompromising defense of traditional doctrines, rejecting all openness or freedom

Totalitarianism

Definition

A political doctrine and regime where all powers are in the hands of a single party led by a leader who does not accept any kind of opposition.

Characteristics

  • Dogmatic and monolithic ideology
  • Single party
  • Charismatic leader
  • Control of society (culture, economy, etc.)
  • Indoctrination of the population

Cases of Totalitarianism

Italian Fascism Under Mussolini
Definition

A political movement created in 1912. Italian fascism comes from the word “fasces,” referring to Roman lictors.

Characteristics
  • Predominance of the nation over individuals
  • National exaltation of the state
  • Existence of a single party
Nationalism Under Hitler
Definition

A German political movement, an expansionist dictatorship that emerged after World War I, characterized by racist nationalism.

Characteristics of the Aryan Race

Racist principle: History is dislocated in favor of the superior race (considered the Aryan race), destined to dominate, especially over the Jews, considered the cause of German decadence.

Consequences: Persecution and Extermination of the Jewish People

Antisemitic Principle: The Jewish race is considered an impure race, the primary source of ideologies that harm the Aryan race.

Result: Nazi genocide, resulting in the extermination of 6 million Jews.

Secondary Characteristics
  1. Exaltation of violence
  2. Exaltation of the Führer
  3. Imposition of military discipline
  4. Exaltation of heroism
  5. Imperialism
  6. Bellicism
Bolshevism
Definition

(“Bolshevism” comes from “bolshevik,” which means “majority” in Russian) Term used to designate the government and the communist system of the USSR during Stalin’s dictatorship.

Characteristics
  • The party is considered the sole holder of philosophical and political truth.
  • Control of the official ideology
  • Abolition of political and social liberties
  • Imperialist character, aspiring to extend worldwide

Fascism

  1. Rejection of both left-wing and right-wing ideologies
  2. Predominance of the nation over individuals
  3. National exaltation of the state
    1. Military structure
    2. Seeking uniformity of the population (through indoctrination)
  4. Single party: the Fascist Party
    1. Control of workers’ organizations
    2. Elimination of all political opposition