Ideology And The Democratic Ideal Analysis

In the first chapter of Political Ideology and the Democratic Ideal by Terence Ball and Richard Dagger, the concept of ideology is brought about. The authors’ see ideology not as the study of ideas, but rather how ideas find their way to connect with an action. Ideology can explain and evaluate why people act how they do. People can understand why they act how they do which allows for social and political action. In this essay I intend to explain the four functions of ideology, how the authors differentiate between “political ideology” and other concepts, define human nature and freedom, and reflect on nationalism in modern US politics.
Terence Ball and Richard Dagger outline four different functions of ideology. The first function is it provides

As Ball and Dagger put it “all ideologies provide standards or cues that help people assess, judge, and appraise social policies and conditions so they can decide whether those policies and conditions are good, bad, or indifferent” (Ball Dagger 6). So, different ideologies also evaluate different social situations differently. This is because each ideology provides contrasting criteria be able to evaluate these situations.
The third function of ideology is it provides its followers with an orientation. This allows people to feel like they know who they are and what they believe. People are also able to establish how they fit into the world this way. Like the previous two functions, different ideologies allow for people to orient themselves differently. Since people see themselves differently, others cannot always be able to tell how someone views themselves.
The fourth and final function of ideology is that it is a political program. The ideology will establish what they should do and how they can accomplish whatever they want them to do. According to Ball and Dagger this can be an agenda for either social or political issues. Ideologies can lead you to believe different things which would influence your action. Peoples thoughts on human nature and their freedoms can influence their