Contemporary Political Ideologies: A Comparative Analysis

by Elizabeth Sargent

Sargent, Lyman Tower

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, Political Science, Reference

299 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[zmija lanca]

Despite the fact that the book is a bit dated (being written in 1969) it is still a very good impartial overview of the major contemporary ideologies. While some ideologies (such as the new left) are not currently relevant, there is still some value in the chapters that deal with them as they provide context for the development of some more modern takes. Overall, the book is simple and coherent - a very easy and enjoyable read.

[Maritza Ruby]

Published in 2002, it’s interesting to see how familiar ideologies (e.g. capitalism, socialism, conservatism, liberalism, etc.) remain consistent in today’s reality as well as how profound earlier ideologies (e.g. feminism, liberation theology, and environmentalism) now has widespread recognition and practice. Reading this comparative analysis was a necessary refresher as, I can admit, certain ideologies (i.e. Marxism, fascism, and national socialism) can become confusing to understand. With today’s awakening of social justice movements in response to a chaotic political arena, I gained some insight as to how individuals think and behave the way they do. It is alarming to see that there is a growing number of extremists loyal to the more controversial ideologies, even though the textbook predicted otherwise, vying for more positive changes. Overall, a concise and thorough textbook. Highly recommended, especially before delving into historical fiction and nonfiction books.

[Petro]

I took my time with this book because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall, it's a good book and works perfectly as an introduction to political ideologies. The writer explores all these various ideologies in a structured, precise, and non-repetitive way (which I tend to find in non-fiction works). He also voiced his opinion in a nuanced way, which I truly appreciate.

[Kévin Paré]

Get really good information about different ideologies.

[Methodman]

western civilazation lies as the highest state attained by man and so looks down on societies of the past, as backward and primitive