Contemporary Political Analysis

Idealism and materialism should be taken as determinant factors in political analysis.

Idealists argue that reality depends on the mind and that our understanding of reality is a result of what we think. Idealism argues that mental entities are the only real and knowable things. Idealism comes in different forms which include subjective idealism, absolute idealism and platonic idealism. Idealism is a belief system that we adopt of how things should be done, which is often challenged by how things actually are in reality. Idealism prevents people from adjusting to situations because they are out of league from what is expected. As a result idealism turns people into being hostile, negative and pessimistic.

     Idealism argues that nothing exists apart from the mind and its contents. Idealism motivates us to improve the notion with the deep notion that better things can always be achieved. It is a free judgment that is directed towards self interests.

Political analysis provides a distinctive contribution to the analysis of political structures, ideas and behaviors.

   Political idealism has been seen in cases where fanatics with a clear conscience have murdered and slaughtered their enemies in the name of ridding the world of undesirerables.

    Materialism argues that everything is made up of matter and is ultimately dependent on matter for its existence. Materialism can be explained by mindless material mechanisms. It is a form of monism that argues everything in existence can be reduced to what is physical in nature. During its origin materialism did not deny the individuals of free will to make choices concerning his moral options, interests and convictions. In today’s life materialism has been brought forward in various forms and has been used in developing material substances that are necessary in life. A belief in materialism is therefore crucial for social improvement. (Berkel, 150-157).

Some philosophers argued that the mind is dualistic and exists as nonmaterial but has developed from a material universe. Others argued that material things are reflected in the brain. It provides a simple perspective that looks compatible with our experiences and observations.

            However, materialism faces a challenge that were it correct, morality and responsibility would be a delusion since the world would be with no meaning of life. Most people affirm the materialistic position as it is assumed to be correct and it also stands out to be the most acceptable. It is however limited by scientific knowledge development. This is evident when our knowledge is inadequate to create new concepts. Another limit to materialism is its inability to understand the universe as a process.

    During the 1930’s, idealism was a bad viewed and analyzed as a bad thing as it prolonged and propelled the world into global war. However in the 1960’s it brought to an end the global war. Idealism is considered a negative thing when it is in its extreme form. In this form strives to achieve an impossibly perfect society, a society which is extremely peaceful with no violence corruption or hatred. Such a society is impossible to achieve.

     Most books in the world today are ideological in the sense that they imagine of things that are better than what exists. They force our minds to challenge our myths, cultures, beliefs and political situations. They make us believe that we can achieve what is politically impossible, such as having political leaders who addressed our problems with a passion, and having countries that have good political relations in such a way that terrorism does not exist.

    Idealism is a stress reaction to situations that humans think are wrong. These include tribalism corruption and political violence. Humans are capable of so much intellectualization that they acknowledge something is wrong and must be changed immediately. Our society would be so much peaceful and content if we appreciated what we have and did not think of ideas that are impossible to achieve. (Boucher, 155-185).

     In the community level, idealism is realizable and has more value since the community is a smaller less complex political unit. Some philosophers argue that it is too late to achieve idealistic changes in our society because the society has become too interdependent and complex to be changed.

    Idealism in politics is considered hypocritical in the sense that some nations criticize use of violence, force or dictatorship by other nations but practice the same things in their countries. Politics that are based on moral ideas and convictions alone with no military or political force are bound to fail. Idealism is very dangerous in world affairs and politics.

     Materialists argue that the environment dictates our beliefs, actions and behaviors. Materialism also explains that everyone is a victim of environmental activities. This tends to look down on personal responsibilities such that criminals in the society were not judged for their actions. Every action and crime committed by humans was blamed on environmental circumstances. Materialists believed that they could create a perfect society by using scientific knowledge. This created a state of utopianism.

    Materialism creates means of living in the society by advocating for changes in the society and also implementing them. Human beings must work on nature to create means of living. This is done by people assuming different roles and doing different jobs in the society. Goals of materialism include acquiring material goods, self-interest and leads to loss of morals termed as success by some because they have the freedom make choices that they wish. It also leads to loss of faith and spiritual deity. In effect materialism is seen as brainwashing. Some oppressed countries have been forced to abandon all forms of spiritual worship. Russia discouraged all forms of worshipping and insisted that no one must proclaim any form of religion. China on the other hand led its people to believe that teaching children about God and spiritual things is child abuse.

     Materialism and its effects were termed as sinful because, according to religion man was created with a free will to make his own choices. However, today materialism has been accepted worldwide by well educated people with a reasonable judgment. Although materialism has seen the growth of various sectors in the world, it has also resulted into certain negative effects. Agricultural revolution has in effect reduced forest lands. Industrial revolution has led to depletion of raw materials and extinction of some plant and animal species. Improvement in the communication sector between various nations has seen terrorism spread rapidly. Nations are fighting for to have control over the natural resources such as the oil mines. The Iraq and United States government are fighting for control of the oil in the Middle East.

    Idealism and materialism differ in the sense that idealism sees reality as depending on the mind, while materialism views the social world as constructed from human social relationships.

    In the religion world, idealism is the assumption of a non-material world that is superior to all accessible matter. Materialism is the assumption of a material world.

   In politics idealism is used by imagining how to create a better world than that which we live in and also by establishing that the human nature can be improved. Ideas and idealism always results to material effects and their consequences. In Iraq, the consequences of idealism were devastating. The US government believed and assumed that all the Iraq citizens would accept and embrace the change of government. Instead they rebelled against it and created war with the US. (Weil, 54-79).

   Idealism has been seen to work in both positive and negative ways, in the sense that it can result in social and political activism or lead to an effective political system.

   Materialistic understanding of the society helps us to think of ways that we can improve the society. We can do this by advocating for workers pay and working conditions that are favorable. This form of change will come in terms of both quantitative and qualitative forms. Materialism teaches the society to have confidence in their choices and whatever they choose to do.

   Idealism allows us to adore an idea without the responsibility of practicing it. Some people don’t bother arguing with you over a certain matter because they simply believe and know that your ideas are wrong and theirs are right. Politicians dismiss other politicians by arguing that their ideas are wrong and impractical. This goes along way to prove that there is no equality in idealism. Political powers in the world have used idealism to justify their evil actions. An example is the Nazi group, which used idealism to infect an entire society with their evil ideas and actions. Abstaining from idealism only increases our responsibility towards other people. Idealism has been known to justify evil things by portraying them as good. Politicians are known to influence people to believe in things that can’t be achieved. Others have stirred the society to perform coups and perform mutinies all the name of political redemption. Most idealists perform evils by covering them up with the name of religion, faith and morality. Idealism clouds our minds and our thinking because we forget what our moral standards in the society uphold.

    Idealists believe that material forces affect our social and personal behaviors in the society. Social classes and activities are based on idealism because idealism provides standards of social and moral behaviors that people should follow to achieve and maintain order in the society. Though idealism provides moral standards, these behaviors also have real material effects making idealism and materialism similar in that sense.

     Historical materialism creates a relationship between material forces and the political superstructure. Not all effects of materialism are positive. Some effects have created so much damage to mankind. These include liberalism, freemasonry and imperialism. These political movements are philosophically wrong and impractical. Materialism has not brought happiness into the world because it creates greed, inequality and suffering.

Both idealism and materialism have created political instability around the globe. Most nations are involved in terrorist attacks due to their different beliefs and moral standards. The September 11^th attack in us is believed to be a result of these differences. The Islam believed that by attacking and killing the Americans they were making them pay for the evil things they had done to them. These include things like taking up the oil resources in the Middle East and introducing a new us government in Iraq. Materialists from Iraq argued that the US should be able to acknowledge that the world is real and knowable and it does not require any other ideal source for its maintenance.

   Materialism has made people lose courage and confidence in them and as a result, most people in the society cannot develop their full potential or assume and accept their individual responsibilities. Idealism has led to failure of political systems in certain nations. Political leaders in these nations believe that to end poverty and illiteracy in their countries they must end poverty abroad first. These are impractical and unattainable ideas that have led to lack of political, economical and social developments in most nations. Most upcoming politicians are all idealists that fill their followers with impractical ideas that have led to political instability in their nations and as a result led to failure of political systems. (Corfe, 28-39).

    Some idealists believe that it is possible to create a world in which all nations interact politically, socially and economically. They believe that the world can create a common political system and trade system.

    Idealism and materialism are two different ways used in political analysis. They both have different beliefs and different moral standards. They are both used as determinant factors in political analysis.

Works cited

Berkel klaas. The book of nature in early modern and modern history. Peeters publisher.

2006. 150-157.

Boucher David. British idealism and political theory. Edinburgh. 2000. 155-180.

Corfe Robert. Foundations of new socialism: a vision for the third millennium. Arena                                 books. 2001. 28-39.

Weil Simone. Oppression and liberty. Routledge. 2001. 150-157.