European political systems and ideologies

1. European political systems and ideologies Political parties and movements from the end of the 19th century up to 1991

2. General background: parties, ideologies, mentalities the essence and power of political parties to make any system operate the motives, goals, mentalities reflections of values and mentalities the way to control and govern the limits of political parties social and economic structures, individuals, groups, conspiracies etc.

3. Mentality and ideology mentality not written, not necessarily conscious "instinct", "taken for granted", "permanent" ideology discussed, debated, written down � at least conscious resembles the same phenomenon in other countries "concrete policy" and comparisons

4. Definition of terms Liberalism an imprecise term � attitude, temperament etc. � no wish for "totality" mostly a positive stereotype: reformism, democracy, human rights, law, optimist view of human nature (rationality and unselfishness), tolerance, internationalism negative: "anything goes", vagueness, weakness, lack of responsibility American: "Pinko"

5. Conservatism equally, if not even more imprecise � and usually a "label" aversion towards "theories" compared to "natural way of things" pessimist view of human nature negative stereotype: movement of the wealthy and egoistic, soft on Fascism, reactionary, rightist, intolerance, fear of anything new, militarism, nationalism, prejudices

6. Socialism definitely a political term � the orientation thoroughly researched � plenty of sources drawback: political passions and rivalry only Marxists? Social Democrats or Communists? stereotypes from Red Terror to patronizing welfare state and individualist idealism

7. Social Democrats / Socialists collectivist, class interests, equality; nationalism, individualism secondary theory and determinism adaptation and reformism a will to "organize everything" pacifism and antimilitarism contra class struggle? in principle an optimistic view of human nature

8. Communism ideological foundation, theoretical background the same conclusions more radical, reformism often condemned conformism, no opposition allowed; infallibility of the party, democratic centralism "Homo Sovieticus"

9. Fascism and National Socialism specific problem: does "Fascism" mean anything anymore? Mussolini, Hitler, Pinochet � Le Pen, Pol Pot? "health fascism"? "gender fascism"? stereotypes definitely negative

10. Common features of NS and Fascism collectivist, anti-liberal mass movements, anti-conservative, anti-capitalist, anti-clerical admiration of action, not theories � anti-intellectualism militarism, soldier virtues, masculinity F�hrerprinzip outside the "distorting" parliamentarism

11. Distinct Fascism state more important than nation Empire rather than a nation state Roman past � but also future-orientated originally not anti-Semitic a conflict between labour and capital corporatism

12. Distinct to National Socialism the nation more important than the state anti-Semitism, racism, "Blut und Boden" F�hrerprinzip even more total and mystified no corporatism or conflict between labour and capital nostalgic rather than future-orientated

13. Populism? defending the "small man" against plutocrats and institutions leaders not F�hrers, but even more necessary to political survival nationalism, xenophobia emotion and instinct above rationalism however, no consistent beliefs or reference to violence

14. General features of the late 19th century Starting points which no political orientation could escape mentalities, beliefs, possibilities and resources the French Revolution(s), the "old" or the "new" world? tradition � and a knowledge that change was possible and could be impossible to control economic liberalism, booms and depression, Social Darwinism, the Marxist alternative

15. the "scientific" aspect of Marxism the "new" very diffuse: rhetoric radicalism and pragmatism � or barbarism? nationalism, imperialism and Eurocentric thinking the self-evidencies and morals very different from today � and the main belief was one of progress

16. The Model � English Parliamentarism Parliamentarism did not mean democracy and universal suffrage � even in England the English reputation of success: economy, "Bank of the World", Empire, no revolutions, gradual change and "upbringing" � the ruling middle class practical, sound, no-nonsense people and a system that worked liberal statesmen � Mill, Gladstone; conservative reformist � Disraeli

17. principle of Parliamentarism reforms of 1832, 1867, 1884 the first real parties (Whig and Tory � Liberal and Conservative) the English system was not universally admired � but it was thought to be the direction the political society would go to the European labour movement, however, had rather German models