11: Conclusion - Ideology in the Globalized Future
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In this chapter, we are going to look at four important factors in the contemporary world to see what they may have to say about the future of ideologies and, by inference, the future of politics. Those factors are:
- A brief recap of ideology and its operationalization
- The central nature of the state in the international system
- The international system as currently comprised through globalization
- Other factors that might also apply: these factors may be endogenous (from within the system) or exogenous (from outside the system)
The general argument to be made is that ideology is developed and operationalized as a means of rhetorical power—that power is vested in its highest form of authority through the apparatus of the state. States are affected internally through domestic politics but, critically, also through the actions of other states and how they are constituted in the international system. There also exist at a global level some factors independent of states that also have the potential to greatly affect human affairs and therefore states, politics and ideology. By looking at all these elements, we can gather some understanding of how contemporary developments may affect ideological development in the future.
Prognostication is a mug’s game, particularly in the world of human affairs. There are numerous variables – which social scientists like to define as specific factors that affect outcomes. Many of these variables are at best fuzzy and ill-defined and are often hard to grasp and even harder to measure. Even more difficult to grasp is how these variables interact with each other to determine outcomes. Is one variable dependent on, independent from, or co-dependent with other variables? To what extent does a variable affect or effect an outcome? In short, human affairs are quixotic, and we have a hard time pointing to any one cause for a particular outcome.
But this does not mean that looking at something analytically will not have explanatory or even predictive power. There are patterns and structures to human behaviour in the aggregate that allow us to examine with some confidence the broad picture of human affairs at a given time.
The astute reader will notice that the title of this chapter actually conflates two issues that can act separately as well as together to affect – and to effect – ideological development. These two issues are ‘globalization’ and ‘the future.’ What the title is asking of us, colloquially, is the most basic of human questions: “Where do we go from here?” And in looking at the trajectory of individuals and human institutions in the contemporary world, how people conceive and construct their current reality today rests on the interaction of local, national and international political structures.
Put another way, many of the big questions that face us today – including on ideology – revolve around the interconnectedness of the world and our agency within it. For example:
- How do we understand and handle climate change, which respects no national – or provincial – boundaries?
- (How) Do we regulate the flow of capital and goods around the world through investment, free trade, taxation, etc.? And how does this affect what we do domestically?
- (How) Do we handle the flow of labour (people) around the world?
- Can we establish international norms (standards and definitions) that countries will abide by based on common interpretations?
Exercises
Conduct a search of local media sources to find examples that write on the following:
- Which political parties and which geographical regions in Canada support or oppose implementing policies based on the belief that man-made climate change is real and an existential threat?
- Is it (more) important that India or Canada adhere to carbon emission limits?
- How should Canada react to an “America First” economic policy?
- What rules should Canada make on immigration and on refugees seeking residency?
- How should your country react to the situation of the Uighur people in China?
All these questions come with profound moral, social, and economic consequences. These consequences challenge our belief systems about what our state and/or nation is (and therefore who you, the reader, and me, the author, identify) while imposing a constrained reality on our material well-being that demands compromise, yet also provides hope and a vision for a resolved future.
These brief examples inform us that globalization and the future, like ideology itself, are conceptually nebulous. They include terms that are used in different contexts to mean different things all the time. Equally as important: they are weighed by each individual differently and inconsistently. Sometimes one thing is more important, sometimes another [see Moy on inconsistent voting patterns (Moy, 2008)]. So how can we consider all of this uncertainty and complexity and then try to assess how ideology will develop from this point on?
But as we stated above, concepts, even fuzzy concepts, can be approached methodologically in order to understand what aspects we are actually discussing. Or, as political scientists love to say, we can unpack these ideas.
AI generated
These sources examine the complex future of political ideology within an increasingly interconnected global landscape. The text highlights how globalization, technological advancements, and environmental challenges are reshaping the way sovereign states and individual actors exercise power. By analyzing the transition from the Cold War’s bipolar stability to a modern, multipolar system, the author explores how liberalism has evolved into neoliberalism and faced new domestic and international pressures. The provided chapters emphasize that while national governments remain central, they must now navigate a dense web of non-state influences and rapid information flows. Ultimately, the material seeks to unpack the variables that influence how societies construct their political realities and respond to global crises.
- Discuss factors that will influence ideologies in the future.
- Assess the effects of globalization on political ideologies and worldviews.
- Evaluate the changes that occur within the international system.
AI generated
Based on the provided source, here are five learning objectives for a study on ideology in the globalized future:
- Analyze the factors influencing the future of ideologies: Discuss how domestic politics, state actions, and systemic variables—such as technological revolutions and climate change—interact to shape ideological development.
- Assess the impact of globalization on worldviews: Evaluate how the increased interconnectedness of actors and political-economic structures affects contemporary political ideologies and individual belief systems.
- Evaluate the evolution of the international system: Examine the transition of the international order from the post-1945 bipolar era to the current complex web of interactions between state and non-state actors.
- Apply levels of analysis to political power: Utilize the "levels of analysis" framework (individual, state, and international/systemic) to understand how power and ideology are operationalized in different political contexts.
- Critique the challenges to the liberal international order: Investigate the rise of illiberal state models, such as China, and the emergence of nationalist-populist movements in Western democracies to understand potential shifts away from traditional liberal-democratic norms.
- 11.1: Ideology
- Ideology is defined as an admixture of political and socio-economic beliefs that serves as a focal lens for people to filter political narratives . It is "operationalized" as a tool to accrue and wield power, ranging from rhetoric to physical violence.
- 11.2: International System and Globalization
- Globalization represents a state of increased and immediate interconnectedness between actors and political-economic structures worldwide . This section introduces the need to analyze how power and ideology function within this system.
- 11.3: Levels of Analysis
- International relations theory hypothesizes that power is exercised at three basic levels: the individual (sub-state), the state, and the international (systemic).
- 11.4: International System, Sovereignty, and the State
- States remain the highest order of sovereign agency and the primary units that make laws and filter international activities . While sovereign, states are not entirely independent and often collaborate to achieve shared ideological or material goals.
- 11.5: The State
- At the domestic level, the state is not a "unitary actor" but rather a complex set of institutions and interests that compete to form policy . The structure of a state (e.g., democratic vs. authoritarian) is vital for predicting its political developments.
- 11.6: Globalization - The 4th Level
- A "complex web" of non-state actors—including NGOs, multinational corporations, and religious organizations—exerts significant influence across all analytical levels, comprising the true measure of globalization's intensity.
- 11.7: Ideology and the Trajectory of the International System
- The 1991 "End of History" theory, which predicted the permanent triumph of liberalism, has been challenged by the rise of China, a disruptive Russia, and domestic polarization in Western democracies.
- 11.8: The Liberal International Order 1945-1991
- Following WWII, the United States established a global hegemony based on liberal internationalism, which was challenged by the Soviet Union’s competing communist ideology in a bipolar system.
- 11.9: The Evolution of Liberal Internationalism at Home and Abroad
- Economic growth and the deregulation of capital since the 1970s have increased global interdependence . However, the rise of "neoliberalism" and the shift of industrial production "off-shore" have led to increased political polarization and partisanship within Western states.
- 11.10: Other Factors - Technological and Climate Change
- The IT revolution has fundamentally transformed social interactions and challenged state control over information . Simultaneously, climate change has become a dominant organizing principle, forcing states to coordinate through international mechanisms like the Paris Accords.
- 11.11: Problematization of China - Case Study in Systemic Change
- China’s success as a nationalist, illiberal state proves that capitalism and democracy are not mutually dependent . This model, along with populist movements like Trumpism and Brexit, challenges the assumed inevitability of liberal-democratic norms.
- 11.12: Conclusion
- The international system has shifted from 19th-century ideological competition to a globalized order with multiple loci of influence . While a rules-based capitalist order remains entrenched, liberal political values have become attenuated, and global stability has been prioritized over democracy . Ideological challenges to this world order will likely remain secondary as long as the system serves the vested interests of states and key economic stakeholders.