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AMERICAN IDEOLOGY

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Abstract

Ideological views are the basic systems of values and ideas that guide a community and form the basis of the community’s political and economic life. Ideological views are carried through time from one generation to the next. A nation’s ideological views are mainly influenced by their culture; their way of life and belief. Every nation has its own ideological views, and these differ from one nation to the next. The United States of America is one such nation with ideological views that has caught the attention of other nations. The country’s core values are deeply embedded in their constitution; safeguarded by the law and upheld by the citizens. At the face value, Americans are seen as an idealistic community because the public belief system is always set as a yes or no situation. The standards set by nation are high and these they believe to be true, desirable and important. The American ideologies are what set them apart from other nations.

Introduction

The American government and core values are founded on some basic ideologies that are deemed proper for the nation. These are binding values across the nation and every American cling to them. The six core values are unity, diversity, liberty, equality, self-government and individualism.(Thompson 2008)

1. Liberty

America is a highly liberal society with provisions made for all its members. The fight for a liberal society in America began during the French Revolution when liberal philosophers, civil rights activists, and various political figures fought to overthrow the then considered tyrannical rule. The dawn of the nineteenth century saw the formation of liberal governments across America and the protection of human rights.(Rossides 2013) Today, liberty in America is guarded and protected by the constitution. The individual liberties are defined in the American Constitution and these make up the bill of rights. The bill of rights grants every individual the right to live, the freedom of speech, the right to privacy, freedom from discrimination among other rights (Lipset 1996. All individuals are regarded as equal and deserving of the same treatment; no one is above the law. The American value of liberty also prevents the government from making laws that would be discriminatory to any particular group of people; all individuals are protected by the law (Rossides 2013). When enjoying one’s freedom and right, though, respect to other’s freedom is paramount.

2. Equality

This is the value that all people are treated fairly, with dignity so that they can be able to explore the available opportunities fairly for education, political involvement, healthcare, economic success and a fulfilling life.(Roemer 2011) The American society has gone through extreme phases of inequality whereby minority citizens were treated in a discriminatory way. Of specific reference was the discrimination of black during the nineteenth century. Blacks were considered as outsiders and a cast of the society; such opinions drawn from the slave trade.(Hayes and Greer 2014) Public amenities were separated for blacks and whites; blacks were not allowed to use certain buses, visit certain restaurants or even freely interact with whites. The dawn of independence in the country, however, brought a halt to this injustice and discrimination of minority of groups.(McClay 2006)

The American constitution upholds and safeguards equality for all its citizens. Every individual has the same opportunity to access opportunities for education, political involvement, and economic success; regardless of their age, sex, gender, color, religious affiliation or race.(Perrin, Micah Roos, and Gauchat 2014) There is no segregation in the utility of public resources or amenities. Both blacks and whites have access to the same services and opportunities. With the dawn of the twenty-first century, special group rights have also been included in the constitution. Much as American is considered an “equal rights” nation, some challenges still exist for the nation. One such is the equality issue for women and immigrant workers.(Noll 2015) Women are considered to be paid less than their male counterparts for the same type of job. Immigrants are also generally less paid than the American citizens, and this has been an issue of debate for a long time now.(Zinn 2005)

3. Individualism

This is a value bestowed on every individual to have their own independent, private life and self-sufficient to make their own decisions and run their own lives without the interference of the government or other people. Every American citizen has the free will to run their own lives, seek opportunities for personal and economic growth without the interference of the society or the government.(McFarlane 2012) At its very core, America is a capitalistic and individualistic nation. Every individual has the opportunity to further their own interest for personal and economic growth, and such opportunities are open to all.

4. Diversity

This is the value that fosters respect, understanding, and co-existence between people of various cultures. America is a multicultural society and its diversity drives and fuels the country’s economy.(McFarlane 2012) Six racial categories are identified in the country. These are white Americans, black Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and people of mixed race. White Americans are the majority group in the United States while the black Americans are the largest minority groups. Besides the citizens, America also has a rich diversity of immigrants from various nations all over the world. The cultural mix in the country is splendid as people can coexist and live peacefully (Leiter 2015).

5. Unity

No nation is devoid of a mix of various distinct cultures and America is no exception. The existence of multiculturalism in America has severally threatened the existence of peace and unity in the country. The doctrine of multiculturalism though seen as a way of bringing people of various cultures to coexist peacefully, it has on several instances been forwarded by certain selfish opinions as a way of segregation; and this has caused a major race problem in America. The founding fathers of America had the dream of a united country, and this is clearly stated in the nation’s motto: E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one).(Kritzer 1978) Though the challenges to national unity have been several in the country, several measures have been taken to promote national unity. One of this is the assimilation and Americanization culture that is offered to immigrants so that they become American in national identity.(Perrin, Micah Roos, and Gauchat 2014) Various emblems of national identity also exist like the national flag and these promote national unity.

6. Self-government

This is the value that establishes that the citizens have a say in their own government and how it is run. In this kind of rule, citizens are the source of the government’s authority; they participate in political processes to elect their government. In a self-government rule, any citizen is allowed to vote and contest for a seat provided they are of mature age and meet the laid down requirements. America operates on a self-government rule.(Leiter 2015) However, achieving the self-government rule did not come by easy for the American people. Under the colonial rule, the American territory had representatives of the colonial government that made rules. The call for self-government was majorly influenced by writings of Thomas Paine, who was a political activist and theorist. His most common writing was his 1776 fifty-page pamphlet: Common Sense that made a plea for self-government and political independence.(Klar 2014) The fight towards independence and self-government was a struggle from both the citizens and various political activists.

The Declaration of Independence signed at the dawn of independence in 1776 gave the American people the freedom to equality, liberty and the right to live. It also established a self-government rule in the country.(Kritzer 1978) Today, the country operates on a democratic political system. Citizens are free to vote and elect their own representatives regardless of the social, economic or racial standing. The government is thus a representative of the people, and it has the duty to uphold and safeguard the rights of the citizens. The political atmosphere in America is however clouded with many ideologies, and this makes it one of the most interesting political systems. Various ideological principles surround the political scene, and these are shaped by the country’s two major political parties: the Republican and democrats.(Lipset 1996)

American Political Ideology

One of the single most key political ideologies that govern the world is liberalism. The ideology focuses on aspects of self-reliance, the rule of law which is equitable, taking responsibility, individualism, and limited government involvement. According to John S. Mill, a distinguished scholar of liberalism, each and every individual has freedoms and liberties.(Mill and Lerner 1965) Such freedoms include the freedom to associate with others and that of pursuit for what’s good for an individual. Individuals also have liberties to free expression, conscience and liberty to live according to self-principles. The freedoms and liberties form the basis of a meaningful life for Americans. Americans have free thoughts about the economy and matters to do with politics. The right to choose cannot be taken from any American.(Mill and Laughlin 2004) There is a total exercise of free will. Individuals cannot be coerced to give away right, and any such a move is punishable by the American law.

The outright fouls of coercion are greater than the benefits. Also, coercion would be pointless since individuals have different needs and expectations for happiness. Since people can point out their interests, they can have the capacity to create incentives towards achieving them. Mill further points out that one vital requirement for a normal being are freedoms.(Mill and Robson 1965) In life, every individual therefore has the right to build on talents and have a choice of a lifestyle without state or society intrusion. (Mill and Laughlin 2004)

According to law, each and every American has the right to free expression. Individuals reserve rights to convey their messages in written or by spoken modes. Americans shall articulate their ideas without favor or fear of intimidation regardless of the status. It is through dialogue that opinions come.(Hamlin 2015a) It is the role of the public to judge the ideas from different perspectives to establish correctness. The United States relies on individual creativity and more so, individuality for advancement. It, therefore, promotes self-interest and personal freedoms for innovative ideas. In general, freedom to express one’s ideas enhances the efficiency of the government.(Christenson and Dunlap 1984) Also, the government can adapt and accommodate needs of the people. It leads to democratic governance that is satisfactory.

An individual’s rights override the rights of the state. Protection of individual rights and freedoms is a primary role of the state as the American bill of rights outlines. The law is against any form of coercion unless it is meant for national security and its protection.(Quadagno and Street 2005) The individual reserves the right to be free from coercion if they are unwilling which may be an undoing. In the positive light, it helps individuals build their capacity and develop incentives for self-development. If an idea is disputable between an individual and his society, he takes center stage and rules out. The community can mediate though it has to respect the individual and avoid threats or coercing tendencies. Mills writes out on Liberty:

The sole end for which humanity is warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty, odd action of any of their members, is self-protection. That is the only purpose for which power can rightfully be exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will is to prevent harm to others.(Mill and Lerner 1965)

In the United States, freedom of speech cannot be ruled as hate speech. For example, in a speech, the Republican Presidential frontrunner, Donald Trump has made a profiling statement against the Muslims. While in the US it does not amount to a hate speech, in other countries, he would be meant to stand trial or worse, get barred from running for the presidency. He totally enjoys the right to free expression in America as per the constitution unlike in other democracies.(Kritzer 1978) The American constitution allows for different opinions by providing for freedom of expression. Essentially, opinions have some truth. If they were nullified, it would account for denial of access to knowledge for liberal Americans. When Americans speak out their minds, they can initiate dialogues that can shed light on matters that affected the society and tracked on solutions that can alleviate these challenges. Not every opinion has to be correct for it to be adopted. Mill reinforces that even if an opinion is incorrect, it helps correct another opinion by offering another perspective.(Mill and Lerner 1965)

But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race, posterity as well as existing generations; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it, if the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for the truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.(Mill and Robson 1965)

Mill builds a strong basis that helps to justify the intrusion of individuals’ rights. He clearly goes further to point out that any deed that relates to an individual embodies personal space. It means that interference by the society or by the state is unacceptable. Personal space reigns supreme in America. An individual cannot be meant to follow predetermined standards that provided a loophole for coercion earlier on.(Hamlin 2015a) Democracy shows whereby the kid’s wishes about career aspirations are upheld by a court of law. Parents are not allowed to impose their wishes on the child. The children reserve the right to build on their talents and further their dreams. An individual gets successful when their passion and training are brought together. This is why America leads in most fields globally. It is the basis of creativity among Americans that a child gets support as from early years on. Individuals grow to become productive and successful when their interests get the right support.(Feldman and Johnston 2014)

When an individual is allowed to have personal opinions, they tend to be creative and innovative which uplifts the society to unmatched success levels.(Crockett and Wallendorf 2004) Also, it allows for different perspectives that serve to bring out the elements of truth. Such a perspective is evident in most American affairs. As Mill asserts that

any state which dwarfs its men, in order that they may be more docile instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes will find that with small men no great thing can really be accomplished, and that the perfection of machinery to which it has sacrificed everything, will in the end avail to nothing, for want of the vital power which, in order that the machinery to which it has sacrificed everything, will, in the end, avail to nothing, for want of the vital power which in order that the machine might work smoothly, it has preferred to banish.(Mill and Laughlin 2004)

Democracy and Efficient Governance

America stands out as a key pillar of democracy. The government shines as it allows for the transparent and efficient representation of concerns of noble Americans. It allows citizens to advance their abilities and grow in multiple facets. It, therefore, enables growth and prosperity of the United States. Democracy strengthens the citizens and enables them to reach their wishes and aspirations.(Mill and Laughlin 2004) The government has to execute the will of the people. People choose the government. Most Americans participate in democratic processes such as voting. These processes enable democracy to continue growing. There are no scales to discriminate Americans. Every citizen has equal rights and entitlements. Americans have protected the institutions of democracy over generations.(Mill and Robson 1965)

Most previously dictatorial regimes in Africa and Asia are now inculcating elements of democracy in their governance. It shows that democracy as America demonstrates the most suitable form of government for virtually every country.(Steger 2005) Though some countries show rigidity, there is a growing acceptance of democracy throughout. In the United States, Americans from every race, class, and gender enjoy equal political rights. The government supports constant registration of new voters. Major political parties ensure that civic education is consistent to enlighten every American. To add on, the media is in the forefront conducting voter education bringing to light activities of parties and ideologies of different political aspirants.(Mukherjee and Ramaswamy 2011)

Through civic educations and comprehensive campaigns, Americans get to note the most suitable candidates for certain political seats. Citizens are therefore able to vote for the best contestants. In America, each government stays for four years before it seeks for a mandate for a second successive term.(Berry and Ringquist 1998) The provision makes a government be transparent and efficient during its time of service. The government has to articulate the will of the people in a responsive manner. Democracy improves the state of life since good governments are given another term to execute governance. Notably, transparency in management results by application of various checks and controls such as electoral processes. There are also forms whereby leaders can be queried about certain actions. Cases can take legal actions, and misappropriating leaders have to take total responsibility.

It was Mill’s belief that citizens advanced their intellectual abilities to analyze to isolate the truth by taking part in political processes.(Mill and Laughlin 2004) Hamlin asserts that civil participation is key to sovereignty and selflessness.(Hamlin 2015b) When individuals continually have their own decisions and take public action, they can take what the outcome is since they participate in its making. Americans have the right to participate in governance and also discharge duties in a sovereign workplace while the oppose dictatorship and unyielding processes. Americans are very vibrant in political matters. They are always extremely willing and able to participate in political debates, voting, lobbying and also demonstrations. It is in the heart of Americans to fight dictatorship and preserve democracy in political institutions as they have grown in such a background.(McClay 2006)

Equality

In the United States, women deserve equal rights as men. It is a concern for the gender in the country. Women have rights to access education, participate in political forums and contest for positions. Furthermore, they have equal rights to employment and promotions at work. In other countries especially the Middle East and Asia, women are put through biases and prejudices.(Carmines, Ensley, and Wagner 2012) They are vulnerable and the female gender is seen as weak. Every American government subsequently continues to fight for equality for women. The government is empowering women by providing opportunities for education and universal suffrage to enable them to match their status to the male counterparts.(Gries 2015) It is a way to enhance civility and grant human rights to all. The American government has gone overboard in collaboration with other agencies and non-governmental organizations to advocate for equal rights and dropping of gender tags to access of opportunities.

A real demonstration that America respects women’s rights is that women receive equal wages as men in the labor market.(Beach 2007) No gender is favored or granted special considerations. Everybody works industriously for a pay justifying the nature of work. In stark contrast to other conservative countries elsewhere, in the United States, women can seek a livelihood in any industry. When women work wherever they please, the eventual benefit is for the US government. In this way, America continues growing economically and in governance. By educating women, it serves as a stepping stone to success in life. They can lift themselves from claws of poverty and improve their lifestyles. When women get empowered, the whole society is uplifted. Finally, women can freely contest for elective positions in government and cast votes. Women just as men have the potential to participate and also lead in political positions.(Quadagno and Street 2005) Also, there are legislations that offer the physically handicapped and minority groups certain rights and provisions for election to special posts to protect their needs.(Zinn 2005)

The State

The American government exhibits humanity. It accommodates everyone’s interests. It brings together all citizens and enhances their progress.(Carmines and D’Amico 2015) Nobody is discriminated against through any lens. Human rights are universal in the civil society. The American ideology entitles equal chances and minimizes tendencies that segregate. Through different times, the state is considerate. It is willing to uphold the respect and regards of equity permeate in the society.(Hegel, Adler, and Knox 2003) Different states have different state laws that guard against discriminations. Discriminating parties can be sued if there are sufficient grounds for a full trial.

The Rule of Law

The American government is established on the rule of law. The law supports freedoms and clearly draws limits. As Hegel puts it, there are narrow and broad perspectives of law.(Hegel, Adler, and Knox 2003) In the broad conception, law contributes towards social cohesion. It enshrines ethics that form the basis of culture. It promotes justice that brings order and sanity in the society. In the narrow conception, it separates what is right from what is wrong and also provides knowledge about legal rights.(Zinn 2005)

Laws universally govern processes. In the United States, laws govern personal and also universal ideals. As a legal entity, every person can dispose of anything they own after agreeing with the acquiring party about the rate of transfer of ownership. The law is clear on the legitimate process of procurement, the utilization and the transfer of ownership between people and parties. The law rules out on the correct procedures to conduct various transactions and actions.(Hayes and Greer 2014) When they are violated, the acts are punishable by the same law. Punishments can vary, but they should be reasonable as per various amendments to the constitution.

Economic

America provides for a free market system. People can own private enterprises that are legal and registered. The market is free from manipulation by the government. It is regulated by trends of demand and supply. These market forces are natural and sustainable. People have the rights to choose to acquire goods they deem can give them the best utility. They obtain the value for their money. In the international arena, America allows for trade across the borders. There is free movement of goods and people as long as there are necessary travel documents and the businesses are legit. Barriers to free trade are minimized, and the government strengthens growing of international trade.(Bonica 2013)

Conclusion

To sum up, it is worth noting that the American ideology is structured on ideals that manage the political and social culture fabric of the country. In the American philosophy cherishes individualism, unity, and togetherness, equality, diversity and autonomy.(Crockett and Wallendorf 2004) The United States is made up citizens from diverse backgrounds and cultures. There is richness in diversity when its advantage is taken into use. No citizen has reserves greater rights than the other. The law is over everybody else. Individuals also have the liberty to advance in life without interference from either the state or the society. Equality in all spheres of governance, education and work sets America apart as an example to model on. Harmony and Democracy result due to self-governance in America. The American Society welcomes all opinions whether they are differing or dissenting. It makes America liberal and welcoming. In matters to do with politics, there is no profiling, every individual is free to contest for any seat and reach out to the Americans for their votes. Also, every citizen of age can register and be legible to vote. These aspects make America great and democratic. The United States’ ideological concepts and the principles are enviable by the rest of the world. Fledgling democracies should borrow some impressive concepts from America to shape their own democratic destinies. Democratic principles streamline various processes and make administration efficient. Also, democracy reduces tension and brings together people from different backgrounds. Within time, the benefits of democracy are unprecedented. Democracy strengthens individuals of all classes and enhances development.

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