5.9

Standard 4C

Widely held political ideologies shape policy debates and choices in American policies.

Learning Objective

Explain how political ideologies vary on the role of the government in addressing social issues.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE

Liberal ideologies tend to think that personal privacy—areas of behavior where government should not intrude—extends further than conservative ideologies do (except in arenas involving religious and educational freedom); conservative ideologies favor less government involvement to ensure social and economic equality; and libertarian ideologies disfavor any governmental intervention beyond the protection of private property and individual liberty.

Policy trends concerning the level of government involvement in social issues reflect the success of conservative or liberal perspectives in political parties.