World Ideologies
The rest of the twenty-first century world is a large mix of differing viewpoints. This is indicative of different cultures, history, and values. While the majority of the western world has embraced democratic republics, there remains a large amount of diversity in ideology. While the American ideology places it close to the freedom point on the triangle, European countries have made a move toward equality and order. Meanwhile, there is a strong tendency toward order in the eastern and middle eastern countries. To explain the differing views of the world, several different countries must be grouped. The countries that immediately come to mind are the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and Iran.
The United Kingdom is still one of the most influential and powerful nations in the world. The UK has held this title since the days of imperialism. At first glance, the United Kingdom looks fairly similar to the USA. They have a representative republic and a free-market system. However, there are several differences that change the United Kingdom’s placement on the triangle. These differences push the UK further toward order.
The UK has had several different documents that could be described as a bill of rights. The nature of the documents established in modern times is not as extensive to the individual as the American bill of rights. The older acts that establish rights are often more concerned with parliament than the private citizen. Rights guaranteed to the citizens of the United Kingdom are not as concrete. Furthermore, one must look at the actual organization of the government in the UK. There are two legislative bodies, but one has been rendered fairly impotent. However, the impotent body is based on heredity and therefore the existence of such a body is not conducive to the freedom point on the triangle. There is no judicial review of laws as there is in the United States, and the executive of the government is chosen from parliament. This effectively gives an enormous amount of power to a single governing body, which is not representative of the limited government ideals of the freedom point. Furthermore, parliament has established several aspects of law that lean toward the order point on the triangle. The United Kingdom is considered to have very strict gun control, which limits the freedom that the private citizens have to possess a weapon. The United Kingdom does have freedom of speech, but there are significant limitations to this right.
However, there is one significant aspect that pushes the UK further toward the equality point on the triangle. That is their socialized health care system. The expenses are paid for by the taxes of the private citizens, and all citizens are guaranteed that health care for being citizens of the country.
In summary, the United Kingdom ideology is fairly close to the ideology of the American liberals. However, there is a more significant move toward order. They are the same distance away from freedom, but they lean more toward the order point than the American liberals.
Russia remains, in many ways, the nation it always has been. Its culture has a tendency toward a strong authoritarian leader and a powerful central government. It has always maintained a close relation with the order point on the triangle. Russia in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union has been in a sort of identity crisis between a western style republic, and an authoritarian centralized power.
Much like the reigns of Stalin and Lenin, Russia has an affinity for a cult of personality in their leader. The current leader, Vladimir Putin, remains very popular in Russia due to the image of a strong man who achieves what he sets out to do. This has a tendency toward the order point on the triangle. Putin has spent his reign collecting power in the government around himself and his party. The United Russia party has held a definitive power in the legislature since the early 2000’s. The situation is very similar to the single party rule of the communists in the Soviet Union, just under the guise of a legitimate legislative body.
Putin controls, somewhat indirectly, a large portion of the Russian economy. This has been done by placing several high-ranking political friends in control of the oil economy of Russia. Perhaps the greatest issue with the domestic policy of Putin is his handling of the criticism that he might face. Expressions of dissent are dangerous in Russia. Putin has been known to harass, coerce, and imprison his political opponents for speaking out against his policies. This all points the era of Putin definitively in the area of order. Putin exercises political power to control the will of the people. He believes that Russia must be strong and united to face their problems.
Putin is a classic example of Russian politicians. A strong man gains absolute power and, by a mix of inspiration and coercion, gathers the people around him. This is, in fact, similar to the tribes choosing a chief based on strength, courage, and determination. Putin is, to many people, an example of a perfect Russian man. This is why he achieves such high approval ratings from his citizens. This is Russia’s golden man. This puts Putin very close to order on the triangle. However, it is not nearly as close as the ideologies of fascism, Nazism, or Stalinism. The government of modern Russia is far more conducive to the freedom and equality points. However, there is definitely a trend in the direction of order.
China has had a significant shift in ideological concept since the era of Mao. The time of the cultural revolution brought on a great violence in China. Mao’s policies are blamed for the famines experienced during his reign as the authoritarian, communist leader. The country has made a shift into an ideology that somewhat resembles the economic policies of Leninism during the New Economic Plan. China is considered one of the best modern examples of state capitalism.
Politically, China remains somewhat the same. The communist party still reigns supreme over the government as the sole party available. Any other political movement is heavily maligned. There is a significant separation between the lower-end politicians that the private citizens elect, and the actual members of China’s legislative body. The result is a sustained rule by the communist party. This all moves China closer toward the order point on the triangle. The nature of the Chinese political process is still very much controlled. The people of China have little power to influence change in their government. They are routinely censored in speech that is not kind to the party, and receive very little protection from prosecution by the state. The communist party considers themselves to be the absolute best people to run the country. This all trends toward order.
However, an important distinction between Maoism and modern Chinese political theory must be made. The communes of Mao are gone. Privatization of select resources began fairly soon after the death of Mao. This is where the Chinese economy begins to move the general ideology toward the freedom point on the triangle. It is very much like the economic policy of Lenin’s NEP, but it has been taken a step further. Far more of the economy is based on private ownership than under Lenin. The Chinese government has allowed its citizens to act privately when concerned with small business dealings. However, it is more authoritative than most countries. The Chinese government maintains power in major sectors of the economy such as energy production, and handles a large amount of foreign trade. The economy is still significantly run by the state when compared to the economies of western countries.
China holds a strange place in the world currently. Economically they became a powerhouse after the death of Mao and the privatization of some industries, yet they remain a human rights concern due to the control the government has over the citizens. They are not near the ideologies of Stalinism and fascism due to a minor level of economic autonomy allowed in their citizens. They are, however, more authoritative than modern-day Russia. Putin has a tendency to attempt subversion and subtlety when exercising power. China is not so much the same due to larger majority share they hold over any political opponents. In essence, Putin exercises political influence, while the Chinese government exercises political power.
Currently, a major factor in world politics has been the middle east. The middle east has a large collection of theocracies under the religion of Islam. These societies demonstrate the general attitude of religion when it enters politics on a systemic scale. One of the most prominent examples in the country of Iran.
Politics in Iran are largely based on the ideals of Islam. The country has instituted sharia law, which is a set of laws based on the teachings of Islam. This has a history of intruding on the lives of private citizens. Homosexuality, for example, is illegal under sharia. This is an example of the religion of a certain theocracy imposing moral beliefs on their citizens. Sharia law is a demand that the citizens of a certain country live under the rule of Islam, and decide their actions based on what it declared morally right by the Islamic leaders of that country. Women are restricted in rights under sharia. They are forced to conform to ideas of humility and fidelity, as well as obey the word of their husbands. This is indicative of an effort not to create equality, but to induce conformity and order. The purpose of sharia is to unite all the people under a single cause of morality. This is to create a sense of social order instead of the Russian and Chinese examples of political order. The intended effect of sharia law is to make the citizens act as god intended.
However, the political nature of Iran is not that different. The government is split in between three branches of government, but those branches remain highly regulated. The president and the legislature are elected by the private citizens, but all of the candidates must be approved by a twelve member council of unelected elites. The absolute leader in Iran is the Supreme Leader, and he is appointed by a separate council. That council is elected by public vote, but the public selects from a list of candidates. The nature of Iranian politics is all to contain power in the religious rulers of the state. The rulers of this state believe they are the ones truly fit to do the job. It highlights a difference between them and the philosopher kings of Plato. Plato believes the kings are fit to rule for intellectual superiority. The leaders of Iran believe themselves to be fit to rule for moral and religious superiority.
Economically, Iran is very similar to that of China or Putin’s Russia. They have an economy in which major segments of industry are controlled by the state. The Iranian government controls much of the oil economy that Iran benefits from due to abundant natural resources. There is some amount of private business and agriculture, but it rarely grows beyond a small business or enterprise. The wealth gained from oil remains a significant part of the Iranian government’s revenue, and it far outweighs the revenue brought in by taxes. The state controls this industry to finance the government.
The government of Iran is, in many ways, similar to the government of China. The key difference is the way they induce order in their people. The Chinese government establishes its authority atop of an intellectual political superiority. The Iranian government establishes it atop a religious and moral superiority. They are like brother ideologies. They have the same goals but different concepts of reaching them. If any difference is made, Iran would be further toward order due to the more vocal and pronounced issues with major human rights groups.
