Political ideologies of Liberalism vs Marxism : A View of Study in the 21st Century

Abstract Ideology usually refers to a set of ideas, values, and a world-view which can shape the thoughts and actions of individuals and wider society. It has an influence on social structures, economics, andpolitics. Karl Marx defined ideology as a set of ideas and beliefs that are manipulative and convincing on the surface level, but are not actually true-what he called false consciousness. He created this concept to explain how the ruling class justifies their elite status through the socio cultural beliefs they spread in society. Actually an ideologyis a set of opinion/belief of a group or an individual.Very often ideology refers to a set of optical beliefs or a set of ideas that characterize a particular culture. Monarchism, feudalism, imperialism, capitalism, Nazism, fascism, totalitarianism, utilitarianism, liberalism, communism, socialism, Marxism etc. are some of the ideologies on which socio-political life of mankind have been based. Liberalism and Marxism are two schools of thought which have left deep imprints in sociological, political and economic theory. They are usually perceived as opposite, rival approaches.In the field of democracy there is a seemingly insurmountable rift around the question of political versus economic democracy. Liberals emphasize the former, Marxists the latter. Liberals say that economic democracy is too abstract and fuzzy a concept, therefore one should concentrate on the workings of an objective political democracy. Marxists insist that political democracy without economic democracy is insufficient. The article argues that both propositions are valid and not mutually exclusive. It proposes the creation of an operational, quantifiable index of economic democracy that can be used along side the already existing indexes of political democracy. By using these two indexes jointly, political and economic democracy can be objectively evaluated.Thus, there quirements of both camps are met and may be a more dialogical approach to democracy can be reached in the debate between liberals and Marxists. The joint index is used to evaluate the levels of economic and political democracy in the transition countries of Eastern Europe.