Creeping Ideology

Ideology, properly understood, is the interpretation of reality according to an idea; that is, when an idea is considered not a product of society or history, but the source. Capitalism is simply one system of economic organization. Representative government is simply one way of organizing the political life of a society. Capitalism, or "free markets" as it has come to be known, has become, at least as far as U.S. foreign policy is concerned, the only proper way of economic organization. Capitalism may be the best way of organizing the economic activity of society- if one's criterion is the creation of wealth- but it is only one way. The same can be said of representative government. Representative government, despite the claims of its adherents, is simply one way of organizing the political activity of a society. Even though capitalism and representative government have very peculiar origins and histories, they have become exemplars of political and economic organization. And, as exemplars, they are in jeopardy of becoming ideologies. U.S. foreign policy has steadily evolved from the advocacy of these principals, as not simply the best way of organizing society, but the proper way. Furthermore, the pragmatic and historical origins of these systems is in danger of being forgotten in the clamor for their worldwide adoption. It is in this sense that capitalism and democracy have become ideological, i.e. good for all societies at all times. In the case of capitalism and representative government, their particular origins can largely be attributed to the rise of protestantism and individual determination. Neither of which, incidentally, can be considered universal principals; at least by those who do not adhere to protestantism and individual determination. The same can be said of social class, race and gender. They too become ideological when the struggles of race, religion, or gender are understood not simply as products, but as sources of history and social organization.

The problem with ideology is all the complexities and peculiarities of society and history are collapsed into one idea. In the case of capitalism and representative government, history has become understood as the quest for wealth and the struggle for liberty. In the case of race and gender, history is understood as the struggle against oppression and for freedom and equality. The solution for every nation mired in poverty is free markets. The solution for every nation riven by social, religious, or ethnic turmoil is democracy. This is, to say the least, an oversimplification of the world and history.