The Concept of Ideology

Few concepts play a larger part in present-day discussions of historical and political topics than does that of and yet it is not always clear what meaning is applied to term by those who employ it. Even if one confines one's attention to utterances of sociologists and historians, leaving out of account terminological misuse seemingly inseparable from ordinary political discourse, it is apparent that different and conflicting meanings are intended by writers who casually refer to of this or that political movement. From vulgar misunderstanding inherent in familiar phrase we need a better ideology to fight enemy, to refinements of academic dispute over the ideology of science, one encounters a terminological vagueness which appears to reflect some deeper uncertainty about status of ideas in genesis of historical movements. It is here intended to clarify theme by examining different significations attached to term ideology, and shifting status of phenomenon itself, granted that a propensity so widespread as duplication and distortion of reality in thought lends itself to historical approach. If this initial assumption is allowed to pass as a working hypothesis, it is hoped that term will be shown to possess both a definite meaning and a particular historical status: history of concept serving as a guide to actual interplay of real and ideal factors whose dialectic is obscurely intended in formulation of concept itself. The subject has recently been dealt with by, among others, Mr. Ben Halpern ('Myth' and 'Ideology' in Modern Usage, History and Theory, I, 2, 1961, 129-149). In what follows it is not proposed to take issue with his analysis, but to pursue a line of thought suggested by present author's concern with manner in which ideology concept relates to what is usually known as philosophy of history, notably in its Hegelian form.