Ideology in America - Book Report/Review Example

Ideology in America The book seeks to separate operational and symbolic ideologies in American citizens in the first chapter. The book introduces the concept of operational ideology in the next two chapters. The author observes that liberals advocate for operational ideology in comparison to conservative policy. Additionally, the two chapters discuss the drawbacks of operational ideology that looks beyond individual survey questions in the public structures. Chapter 4 addresses ideological symbols to understand its history and evolution nature. Chapter 5, 6, 7 argue that American citizens are operationally liberal and symbolically conservative at the same time. Chapter 5 provides disconnect between operational and symbolic labels. Chapter 6 discusses the conservatism self-identification theories and liberal preferences. In addition to that, the role of religion to steer political conservatism that shapes self-identification. Chapter 7 mentions the link between American citizenry and political elite that have conflicts discussed by the policymakers and the media. The final chapter summarizes the entire book by discussing the proposition of operational-symbolic conflict to assist the reader comprehend American policy dynamics. The author offers solutions that can help conceptualize democratic theory in future of American politics. Liberals largely support simple accounts of ideological positions that support the expansion of government power to enable it provides equal opportunity and remediate social injustice. Conservatives largely support economic freedom and cultural ethnic patterns of social order. The political elite in America have different ideologies to have polarity as well as individual citizen in the nation. Most of the citizens do not concern themselves with current political affairs and that leads to disconnect in the nature of American mass ideology. Symbolic ideology represents how citizens perceive themselves liberal, conservative, or moderate. Operational ideology deals with concrete decisions on the perceptions and expectations of citizens to the government of the day. Conservative policy makers believe in conservatism policies. Ellis and Stimson (2) state that language of ideology is litigious in the social and political strategy. Daily American politics centers on Liberalism and Conservatism. The conflict between liberal and conservatism sentiments is on issues pertaining policy, symbols, and cultural issues. The political elite in the country align themselves with either side due to daily issues that become a reality. Obama is the most visible liberal that defines liberalism in practice. At the same time, the conservatives’ reminiscence words of prior conservatisms such as Ronald Regan. Academicians in America notice a long-standing paradox between liberal and conservative such the nation adapt to liberal operations while adhering conservatism ideologies. Citizens in the norm prefer liberal to conservative policy on different dimensions of issue conflict. Political agendas change the ideological discourse happen abruptly as liberals and conservatives argue on different issues. Ellis and Stimson (3) assert that equality of opportunity is at core of liberalism. The achievement of life endeavors result from intelligence, discipline, hard work, determination, rather than issues concerning one’s originality. Liberalism aligns itself with equality of opportunity since the playing field should incline on the wealth and status and not parents. The government levels uneven playing field. Liberals support public policies that will redistribute income from wealthy to the less fortunate. Consequently, they support public schools policies to provide tools to help achieve equality. Liberals think that government should allow collective bargaining that will ensure minimum wage and guarantee health care insurance and old age pensions. Liberals believe that market economy has virtues to create prosperity in an efficient way. Liberals attempt to stop those that obtain a monopoly of economic resources to enrich themselves at the detriment of the society’s expense. Liberals reckon the duty of the government to regulate corporate interests that concentrate power, prevent competition, and produce bad social outcomes. Costs of productions have externalities passed to the society instead being born by producer of the products. For instance, regulation of industrial pollution and other economic activities creates social harm since it works as a profit-seeking motive. Americans liberals are yet to embrace an ideology of nationalizing industries that are private, as European countries have done. The issue of conflicts prevents the privatization of the current government activities. According to the authors, it is the duty of the government to establish standards for the benefit of all citizens. The liberals believe in regulation within limits of business since once private firms operate unchecked they can harm the society. America is yet to adapt to a free market economy where buyer or supplier will not affect the market. The financial market in the country support regulation designed to prevent corporate from exploiting consumers. In the social sphere, liberals advocate liberty from intrusions on private decisions. The government serves as an enforcer of the set of guidelines that originate from religion. Liberals are over ambitious to protect the rights of the minorities in the country that suffer the greatest loss amongst all the groups. The conservatives believe that citizens and the societies are the drivers of success other than the federal government. The conservatives believe that private firms will achieve high performance in the business world when they operate free of government constraints to steer opportunities and innovation. Conservatives have little concern on equality of resources in the long-term improvements and the standard of living that derives economic growth. Conservatives unlike liberals believe on free to choose perspectives on an economic path to provide prosperity for all citizens than government efforts that tend to reduce income differences. According to the authors, provision of social benefits through public policy such as school vouchers and tax credits are more desirable than the government-controlled efforts. In essence, they oppose the government efforts that seek to equalize economic outcomes to support non-distributive tax policies and extended welfare benefits. Conservatives believe that charity and private social responsibility will not address the needs of the less disadvantaged people. Most conservatives believe that the government has a role of ensuring a safe environment for effective transactions among players in the marketplace to expand the market freedoms. The government should enforce private property rights and private contracts that will promote free trade in the domestic and international domains. According to the author, the conservatives cite that the government should play a limited role to regulate the market activity. The benefits of the free markets is that they will ensure long term success on economic growth, while government policy to control the market will only stifle innovation and an ability to locate resources in the best way. In essence, policies to regulate the markets and protect workers within the market place since it are undesirable. The mainstream conservatives firmly believe that government-based antidotes to regulate the market will not provide the intended economic growth and success. In issues pertaining to cultural matters, conservatism especially of the Regan administration strongly believed that it was the responsibility of the government to promote ethnic cultures and the traditional values of the society. Different institutions in a country should reflect the desires and roots of citizens in a country. Government should promote traditional social order to enable a society to function properly. Some of the conservatives the government should stop regulating the market as well as social and cultural practices. Liberal and conservative terms are words used for a long time in American history. The author stresses that the American public operates as a liberal and has symbols to represent conservatives. The American public desires a government to introduce different policies and programs that will enable the distribution of resources. Most citizens identify themselves as conservatives than liberals while they desire government-based solutions to solve their social problems. Most Americans perceive their ideals as conservatives while they support predominate liberal public policies. In the issue concerning conflicting issues between liberals and conservatives, Hoover argues that his views embrace all ideals of classical liberalism. During the Regan era, conservatism suffered during the Great Depression as they attempted to apply communist doctrine to resurrect the declining economic growth. Some of the conservatives had fear that communist policies as portrayed by the Soviets and Chinese government could subvert the country. The author traces the start of modern conservative movement in 1964 by presidential aspirant called Barry Goldwater. In the aspirant’s book” The Conscience of Conservative” Goldwater cites that liberals imitate the conservative policies such as promoting the civil rights. Ronald Regan receives credit for establishing conservatism philosophy in the political arena. Regan manages to reinvigorate conservative ideals after the failure of government regulations failed to sustain the economic and social system. Regan capitalized on a new ideal in conservatism to promote individual freedom over government power. In his speech during Republican National Convention in 1980, Regan cited that his government placed trust on persons and parties other one party or one-person .In essence trust belonged of the people as they concentrate on work and their families to depict their dignity as free people. Additionally, Regan said that it was wrong for the government to rob of people hard-earned resources other than supporting the families to uplift their dignity. The economic system created by the effort of the people will not ignore anymore the trust and good will of the citizens so that they can continue investing in the country. Lastly, Regan added the right to religion in modern conservatism to instrumentally in politics of the day. In conclusion, the central theme of the book is that Americans operational are liberals and symbolically are conservatives. American citizens have strong affection of the symbols of conservatism. They use the word in every sphere of politics. They like parties and candidates better than they associate with conservatism philosophy. On issues surrounding public policy, Americans like a large government that spends a lot of money to address many responsibilities and taxes the citizens a lot of money. On average American, do not like a small government that has low spending and taxes. The book explains the conflict between symbolic conservatism and operational liberalism that appeal to citizens. American citizens that have both symbolical conservative and operational liberal pluralities an implication that most cling to conservative symbols while advocating liberal policies Works Cited Ellis, Christopher, and James A. Stimson. Ideology in America. New York: Cambridge UP, 2012. Print. Read More