Ideologies



The Great War not only killed millions and rent an entire generation, it also shattered the faith in traditional religions, faiths and beliefs, leaving the world traumatised and lost for direction and purpose. The traditional establishment lost its legitimacy and was now forced to find a way to restore it. In this vaccuum, ideologies have become more important than ever before, with them providing a codified set of ethics, morals, policies and guidelines for nation-states and peoples to follow. They give governments, rulers and other groups the power to command men to act in their name and to compel free men to fight for them, their beliefs and their visions, in addition to providing a legal basis for administering entire societies and a justification for their actions. Having a cohesive and comprehensive ideology to follow is paramount to ensure that the people, the government and the nation-state as a whole has a guiding principle of life to follow, to weather the storm as the world descends into madness and chaos.

Ideologies in Red Flood
Vanguard Socialism is a catch-all term to types of socialism that believes in some form of party vanguardism and advocate state ownership of the means of production either as a temporary measure in the transition from capitalism to socialism, or as characteristic of socialism itself. Vanguard Socialists view the immensely difficult task of constructing socialism as needing a leadership which is capable of said task. Differing from its neighbor, Popular Socialism, it believes that the people can’t or shouldn’t lead, and so dedicated revolutionaries must aid them.

Sub-Ideologies


 * State Socialism is a political ideology based upon state-controlled economics, nationalism, the total involvement of the state in internal affairs and the importance of the state in preserving socialism. The country is placed under the tutelage of a political vanguard, which operates a socialist economy in a top-down manner. Sometimes occurring as a transitional stage following the revolution, this term alludes to existing Marxist theories of socialism, but is not necessarily a part of them, serving as a catch-all for states not adequately described by other vanguard socialist ideologies.
 * National vanguardism is a term used to describe a mix between nationalist and socialist ideas and policies. It usually varies from country to country, depending on the local popular strand of nationalism and of socialism, but they generally support and advocate for a state-run economy and a one-party state led by a revolutionary vanguard, this tendency advocates a turn to nationalism in order to secure and protect the revolution. Through upholding that identity, militarism, and national glory, the national vanguardist project is to strengthen the appeal of socialism within the nation and prepare it for revolutionary struggle with its enemies, both within and without.
 * Leninism is the name used to describe a school of vanguard socialist thinking that remained loyal to Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin, advocating the organization of a revolutionary vanguard party, the achievement of a dictatorship of the proletariat as political prelude to the establishment of socialism, based on working class self-emancipation and the theory of Permanent Revolution. A product of the situation observed in Russia and other countries where the working class was not as established and politically active as that of Germany or Britain, this tendency advocates for a revolutionary vanguard party to organize and educate the workers toward their own emancipation. Furthermore, it calls for a "dictatorship of the proletariat" as a tool to revolutionize the country along the path to socialism and communism. Also informed by the ideologue's Russian experience is a support for national self-determination in order to settle issues of ethnocentrism and oppression that are considered distractions from class struggle.

 Popular Socialism  is a group of anti-authoritarian socialist philosophies inside the socialist movement that rejects socialism as centralized state ownership and control of the economy and criticizes wage labor relationships within the workplace, instead emphasizing workers' self-management of the workplace and decentralized structures of political organization. Popular Socialists have absolute faith in the masses in the construction of socialism. They are widely seen as the mainline tendency of international socialism, stemming mostly from the German Revolution and subsequent movements, although not all socialists in this category follow Berlin’s lockstep.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Luxemburgism, is a political ideology characterized by its opposition to state capitalism/state socialism and its advocacy of workers' councils as the basis for dismantling the class state. Its contention that democratic workers' councils arising in the factories and municipalities are the natural form of working class organization and authority. It is a school of socialism that came to occupy the mainstream of the global far left after the Great War. The example forged by the German Revolution includes a number of precepts: first, fervent internationalism; second, rejection of the "vanguard party" concept in favor of multiparty democracy between factions that support the revolution; and third, partly owing to the circumstances in Germany at the end of the Great War, anti-militarism and anti-imperialism. Originally springing from a modern industrial capitalist society, it has the strongest presence in states with a large and developed urban proletariat.
 * Syndicalism views revolutionary industrial unionism as a method for workers in capitalist society to gain control of the economy and, with that control, influence broader society. Syndicalists consider their economic theories a strategy for facilitating worker self-activity and as an alternative co-operative economic system with production centered on meeting human needs. Usually syndicalist movements advocate some form of central government to coordinate production, as well as rejection of political parties in favor of rule by trade unions.
 * Folk Socialism is a militant and rural-based soicalist ideology that aims to overthrow feudal, capitalistic and imperialistic oppression in pre-industrialized society by coordinated actions of peasants in alliance with the workers. It is a strain of socialism aspiring to the goals and methods of spartakism or syndicalism while being understanding of the needs and circumstances of an un- or under-developed society and polity. Without a developed urban proletariat, it typically makes greater appeals to rural and peasant populations, recognizing their values and interests while still attempting to lift them from their material conditions through the establishment of socialism. As a result, folk socialism typically has a greater presence in current and recently-liberated colonial territories, as well as among other "pre-capitalist" states.

 Anarchism  is a political philosophy that advocates the establishment of self-governed societies based on voluntary institutions with revolutionary means. It opposes authority or hierarchical organizations in the conduct of all human relations, and would overthrow these with a violent revolution. It can include a broad range of spectrums and many different movements and schools of thought but they have one simple core belief: power creates parasites. Whether the man with power wears a suit and owns your workplace, waves a red banner and calls himself a revolutionary, or runs for office and campaigns for your vote, he is a parasite and a tyrant who must be fought.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Social Anarchism is a revolutionary anarchist doctrine that advocates the abolition of both the state and private ownership of the means of production as it instead envisions the means of production being owned collectively and controlled and managed by the producers themselves. It is an umbrella term for doctrines of revolutionary anarchism that advocate direct democracy, abolition of private property (though some strains retain respect for personal property) and restructuring of society along non-hierarchical lines. Deriving from teachings of Kropotkin, Bakunin, and to a certain degree Proudhon, social anarchist thought puts an emphasis on mutual aid as interrelated with individual freedom and endorses common or cooperative ownership of the means of production. The most notable currents of social anarchism are: anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism and collectivist anarchism.
 * Individualist anarchism is a broad set of anarchist views which break with the more mainstream and mass oriented strains of anarchism. While differing widely in worldview all place the individual and their will over external determinants such as groups, tradition, and other societal systems. These currents range from Thoreau's isolation in the woods, to the philosophies of natural right espoused by Godwin and Spooner, to illegalism and Stirner's total egoism. Although anarcho-individualism disagrees with social branches of anarchism, they often work together to achieve common goals, including abolition of hierarchy and all exploitative property.
 * Lawlessness is not an ideology whatsoever, but rather a situation of complete and total collapse of all authority in a region as a result of either mismanagement or the previously existing government being destroyed, precipitating what amounts to a societal collapse. This term can also describe geographical areas which have never been organized into a nation-state.

Revisionist Socialism is a catch-all term for all the forms of socialism that see socialism not as a means to transition to communism but instead as the end goal. Revisionist Socialism, while still accepting the fundamental premise of socialism, differs from the mainline movements in one or more critical ways to such a degree that they constitute their own branch. The disputes are mainly in regards to the need for revolution, the principle of atheism and secularism, or the focus on industrialism.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Democratic socialism is a political ideology that advocates political democracy alongside social ownership of the means of production based on Marxism, often with an emphasis on democratic management of enterprises within a socialist economic system. Democratic Socialism seeks to establish a socialist economic system through reformist rather than revolutionary methods. As the name suggests, it supports democratic process of management both in the political system and within enterprises. Democratic socialists see capitalism as inherently incompatible with values of liberty, equality and solidarity, and believe that the issues inherent to capitalism can only be solved by superseding private ownership with some form of social ownership.
 * Religious socialism is a form of socialism based around the values of a particular religion or socialism based on religious values. Religious socialism is an umbrella term for schools of socialism that have found common cause between the materialist ideology and certain aspects of a faith. Movements and figures in the past are sometimes claimed as prototypical religious socialists, but currently, principles such as solidarity and social justice, as well as anti-imperialism or anti-capitalism, have led to the explicit fusion of the two philosophies. Social policy under religious socialism varies depending on the faith and how literal the movement's adherence to it is. Members of several major religions have found that their beliefs about human society fit with socialist principles and ideas. As a result, religious socialist movements have developed within these religions, including Christianity, Islam and Buddhism
 * Agrarian socialism refers to rural, locally focused, and relatively traditional or conservative variants of socialism. It refers to movements fusing socialism and the agriculturalist way of life. Rather than mainly being concerned with control over the means of industrial production, it emphasizes the land, often stressing collective ownership and local autonomy, or that socialism can be achieved without progressing through a capitalist phase of development. As a result, Agrarian Socialism has its strongest appeal in areas that are predominantly rural and pre-industrial. Agrarian socialism applies to predominantly rural pre-industrial, non-urbanized demographics, with an emphasis on decentralization and non-state forms of collective ownership. It aims to solve problems on control, ownership and utilization of land rather than other means of production.

 Progressivism  is a political, social and economic ideology that supports economic and social interventions to promote social justice within the framework of a capitalist economy, as well as a policy regime involving a commitment to representative democracy, measures for income redistribution, and regulation of the economy in the general interest and welfare state provisions. While not fully embracing socialism, progressivism has serious criticisms which they wish to ameliorate through greater state involvement in the economy for the purpose of protecting the people’s livelihood, as well as ensuring that the society as a whole is taken care of.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Left-wing nationalism or Social Nationalism is a form of nationalism based upon social equality, popular sovereignty, and national self-determination. It has its origins in the Jacobinism of the French Revolution. Left-wing nationalism typically espouses anti-imperialism. It stands in contrast to right-wing nationalism, and often rejects ethno-nationalism. It is based upon the principles of social equality and popular sovereignty while retaining the belief in the necessity of upholding some cultural or national identity. It does not accept distinctions or prejudice based on wealth, class or faith as this justifies mistreatment, freedom to practice religion and suppression of speech, Similarly to other progressive movements, it endorses state regulation of the economy combined with various forms of social aid. Social nationalism has its roots in Jacobinism of the French Revolution and became popularised among many national independence movements retaliating against foreign imperialism. Although it stands in contrast to right-wing nationalism and typically rejects ethnic nationalism, some more radical interpretations of this ideology aren't unheard of.
 * Progressive Democracy is a political, social and economic ideology that supports economic and social interventions to promote social justice within the framework of a capitalist economy, as well as a policy regime involving a commitment to representative democracy, measures for income redistribution, and regulation of the economy in the general interest and welfare state provisions. It partly derives from the progressive movement of the United States which advocates extensive social and economic reforms. Its aim is to promote social justice within the framework of a capitalist economy by progressive taxation, regulations imposed on large corporations and various means of providing aid to the disadvantaged. Progressives are committed to parliamentary democracy and advocate for distribution of assets as widely as possible in order to reach a political system where every man and woman has equality of opportunity.
 * Left-wing Populism is the support for or advocacy of social reform. As a philosophy, it is based on the Idea of Progress, which asserts that advancements in science, technology, economic development, and social organization. It advocates action for the benefit of the common people, understood generally as the lower classes of the country rather than financial, social, or political elites. Broadly, it supports regulation of the economy for the general interest, coupled with state investment and welfare provisions. Left-wing populism in a country may also constitute a movement or party united behind a specific public figure and their policies.

Liberalism is an ideology a political ideology which advocates civil liberties under the rule of law with an emphasis on economic freedom. It often views the development and promotion of a market economy as an essential aspect of the protection and promotion of individual liberty. Although born from a revolution, it has mellowed and tapered out a bit, and usually prefers to progress society through more reformist means. While still holding dear to the values of individualism, they tend to respect the democratic process, and differ on what freedom really means.

Sud-ideologies:


 * Market Liberalism or Classical Liberalism is a branch of liberalism which promotes an unregulated free market and a political system that is both democratic and plutocratic. Market liberals believe that the freer the market, the freer the people, and they will staunchly defend the political and economic rights of the individual. It is the original form of liberalism established by the American and French Revolutions. Classical liberalism advocates for equality of political rights and legal status for all while seeking to restrict political participation to the wealthier classes to some extent. It tends to support smaller states with enumerated powers, separation of church and state, and checks and balances between separate branches of government, along with laissez-faire economics, private property, and class paternalism. Classical liberal movements are usually republican, though they may also support strictly constitutional monarchies.
 * Social Liberalism is a political ideology that believes individual liberty requires a level of social justice. Like classical liberalism, social liberalism endorses a market economy and the expansion of civil and political rights and liberties, but differs in that it believes the legitimate role of the government includes addressing economic and social issues such as poverty, health care and education through pragmatic state intervention. Under social liberalism, the good of the community is viewed as harmonious with the freedom of the individual.
 * Libertarian Capitalism is a libertarian political ideology that advocates the promotion of maximizing the development of individuals by elimination of centralized state dictum in favor of self- ownership, private property and free markets. Objectivism advocates for total maximisation of personal freedom and reducing the role of the State to the possible minimum, which is expected to serve exclusively as as an agent of its citizens as a “night watcher” or a watchman protecting individual rights against crime and foreign invasion and resolver of disputes between free citizens, and completely separated with any intervention of the economy. Embracing a laissez-faire approach to economy, libertarian capitalists argue that only under a free market the individual can fully exercise their freedom, categorically condemning any form of collectivism or interventionism as tyranny and largely rejecting the importance of groups such as class or ethnicity. With its roots going as far back as Classical Liberalism of the Enlightenment the main currents of Libertarian Capitalism are the European political ideas connected to the Austrian School of Economics.

Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes retaining traditional social institutions in the context of culture and civilization. Conservatism percieves society to be good as it is, and things should just keep on going on the way they’ve been going. While some might lean more reformist or more traditionalist, in general they wish to keep following the good and high road, for it’s the right way to do things.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Social conservatism is an attitude that tends to favour beliefs seen as traditional in regard to social affairs, including moral issues. Social conservatism is generally skeptical of social change, and believes in maintaining the status quo concerning social issues such as family life, sexual relations and patriotism
 * National conservatism is a variant of conservatism that concentrates more on national interests and upholding cultural or ethnic identity than most other conservatives. National conservatism shares characteristics with traditionalist conservatism and social conservatism given how the 3 variations focus on preservation and tradition, as it seeks to preserve national interests rather than ancestral institutions or social justice. National conservatism is used to describe nationalist groups that advocate for their national interest first and foremost, with preserving a perceived social status quo or ideals being their chief other concern. National conservatives can espouse support for democracy or parliamentarianism, but often view the national interest as something that supersedes the rights of its citizens.
 * Liberal conservatism is a term describing a fusion of more classically liberal ideals with a conservative stance, valuing individuality as well as the society and nation. While in general they tend to be laissez-faire when it comes to capitalism, they are still highly skeptical of social change, with reforms only being considered if they seem truly necessary. Liberal conservatism also highly values the rule of law, with constitutions, institutions, and statutes being seen as irrevocable, eschewing violent and extreme means of gaining power or changing in favor of keeping the state stable.

Right-wing Authoritarianism is a term used to describe politically authoritarian and conservative regimes that have partial democratic freedoms and promote a capitalist economy. Right-wing Authoritarianism can best be classified as “Rule by few” in some shape or form, not quite democratic but not quite despotic either. A rough middle ground between singular and mass rule, they often manifest themselves as pragmatic approaches to material conditions, rather than an idealistic way of rule or something strived for. These regimes straddle the line between democracy and totalitarianism, having traits from both, but not quite being either.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Oligarchy or plutarchy is a form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people might be distinguished by nobility, wealth, family ties, education, corporate or religious control. It supports a state promoted social hierarchy and certain people and groups to hold higher status in such a hierarchy. Oligarchies are not democratic, though they may operate a parliament or senate system. They usually operate a deeply stratified society and economy explicitly for the benefit of those in power.
 * Anocracy is used to refer to a state that shares both democratic and authoritarian features. Most of them are dominant-party systems — that is, states where opposition parties are allowed and elections are held, but the ruling party's power is rarely threatened. Sometimes this position is maintained through outright election fraud, while at others the ruling party has a major structural advantage while campaigning. An anocracy may also only select competing candidates from its ruling elite.
 * Corporatocracy is a system that blends the state and corporations. Often used to describe governments which rely on, or are heavily supported financially by, a small number of large private interests; such that the government cannot be said to be truly separate from those companies themselves. Corporatocracies run their governments for the benefit of the corporations in control of them, often to the detriment of their citizens or an under-class of citizens.

Despotism is not really a political ideology in the normal sense, but a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power, often for life. It is the iron-fisted rule of one singular figure over society, be it granted through blood, steel, or paper. Tending to stay out of international affairs unless they have something direct to gain, these regimes range from non-ideological to a worldview simply guided by a very firm grip and strict control.

Sub-ideologies:


 * Absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which one hereditary ruler has supreme authority and where that authority is not effectively restricted by any written laws, legislature, or customs. While the Monarch may depend on a circle of close advisors or ministers, his prerogatives remain above natural law and derive legitimacy from an equation of his position to the state itself.
 * Constitutional Dictatorship is a form of government where a single civil leader in a republic, whether a prime minister or president, has been granted perpetual emergency powers by legal procedures to preserve and protect the country state from any percieved threats in times of emergency or as a result of abusing the faulty political system. Constitutional dictators are usually accompanied by a cult of personality and have their power backed and protected by legislation.
 * Military dictatorship is the autocratic form of military government, in with the state apparatus is firmly and wholly controlled by the undisputed head of the military. It is often claimed to be a temporary measure in order to prevent a takeover by other, radical movements. Under its aegis, state security forces are empowered against dissent, the government may exert a larger influence over the economy, and the state may pursue an "army-first" policy when allocating funding. Sometimes, a cult of personality is employed to give the regime further legitimacy.

Reactionarism favors a return to the status quo ante, the previous political state of society, which they believe possessed characteristics (discipline, respect for authority, etc.) that are negatively absent from the contemporary status quo of a society. In a single phrase, it is the idea of returning to tradition. The how, what, and why is where these groups tend to diverge, although all of them hold a distaste for the modern world and a will to bring the world back to the good old days, by peace or by sword. Reactionarism can be seen as the radical extreme form of Conservatism; while conservatives simply wish to keep things the way they are, reactionaries actively wish to turn back the clock and restore some past state of being or establishment that they see as better compared to its contemporary counterpart(s).


 * Reactionary populism is a radical form of reactionism that aims to facilitate the reconstruction of a certain political or economic state in the past by mass organization against the current establishment or more revolutionary or progressive movements. It is characterized by its support for paternalism, social solidarity and often virulent nationalism. Reactionary populists put an emphasis on tradition, religion and hierarchy, and radically oppose modern ideals by recalling the collective memory of "good old times".
 * Religious fundamentalism refers to the belief of an individual or a group of individuals in the absolute authority of a sacred religious text or teachings of a particular religious leader, prophet, and/ or God. These fundamentalists believe that their religion is beyond any form of criticism, and should therefore also be forced upon others. Religious Fundamentalism is a political stance that defends the authority of the law, the principles, and the institutions of particular religious beliefs. Religious Fundamentalists advocate their position based upon their belief that their religion, or sometimes - the deity or deities themselves through an earthly intermediary - must hold total control of politics in society. This system would then pursue radical reforms to accommodate for this theocratic and traditionalist interpretation of dogma. Among the groups that adhere to this position are certain schools of Islam and Buddhism, Hindu sects, and ultra-reactionary interpretations of Christianity, although many other circles may fall under this specific label.
 * Esoteric Reactionism is a term used to describe certain staunchly reactionary ultra-nationalist movements who show strong devotion towards religion, tradition, culture and spiritual mobilization of the masses. Esoteric Reactionaries advocate total rejection of modernity, seeks to restore “golden era” in medieval mindset based on spiritual and religious values via militant, traditionalist, populist and religious movements. Clamoring for times long gone, reactionary esotericists form the most harsh opposition to social change and progress. Believing that the mythos has been lost in exchange for the logos in the process of human history, they advocate for restoration of an ancient time, usually referring to a once-great civilization, accompanying spiritual values, traditional morality and ancient social strata. Reactionary esotericists are often present in secret clubs or small, aristocratic societies, usually spouting mysticism and other forms of connecting to the metaphysical.

Accelerationism is a term coined by some Marxists to describe those new ideologies that strongly supports the expansion and acceleration of certain techno-social processes to generate radical social change, aiming to identify, deepen, and radicalize the forces of modernization and technological progress to achieve certain goals of social transformation. Widely supported by the avant-garde intelligentsia, highly skilled middle class and leaders of emerging industries and criticized by Marxist revolutionaries, Accelerationism is now considering itself something beyond conventional left/right political spectrum. Accelerationism is the newest of doctrines on the international stage and preaches an ideology of ultra-modernism, in which the tendencies of modernity are spelled out in revolutionary ways for radical ends, while also rejecting the mainline socialist movement as not revolutionary enough. While the name itself originated as a derogatory term hurled by those on the left, it quickly became adopted in its own right. Accelerationism can be seen as the direct opposite of reactionarism; while reactionaries desire a return to a past state of being, accelerationists desire to push society forward into the future with great speed, hence its name.

Sub-ideologies:


 * National-rejuvenatism is an authoritarian and nationalist and revolutionary political ideology first developed in Russian pan-slavist émigrés during the Russian civil war, that proposes a system where the political power is centralized under a strong leadership that controls and guides the nation to a brighter future. Combining the tradition of Narodniks in late nineteenth century and futurist movement in western Europe, National-rejuvenatists advocate the rejuvenation of the nation by accelerating socio-economic development via the expansion of corporatism under the guidance of the state. Its final aim is to make the nation strong, unite the "cluster" of closely related ethnic or cultural groups into a single unit and lead them forward to a new age of the nation with the strong hand of the state. They aim to strengthen the nation and enhance its cultural life by forging a new national identity. This reinvigoration is achieved through uniting closely related cultural groups, revising tradition and formulating a new mythos. National Rejuvenation is a radically modernist and technophilic ideology which stands in opposition to both capitalism and communism alike, supports some degree of state-guided economy and is usually highly authoritarian, believing that a nation can only be brought into a brighter future with the strong hand of the state, albeit there exist exceptions to that rule which advocate complete rejection of state apparatus.
 * Futurism is an avant-garde artistic and socio-political movement and ideology that combines futurism with revolutionary, ultranationalist, corporatist and populist ideas. Originating in Italy at the dawn of the Great War, it has since inspired various political movements all around the world, promoting violence, military heroism and national revival while rejecting traditionalism. It aims to rebuild and strengthen the nation state under the guidance of heroism, militant principles, and industrial culture, and eliminate the enemy of the nation-state with violent means. Although its concept of a desired economic and political structure varies from country to country, futurism is commonly characterised by glorification of modernity, worship of technological innovations, anti-capitalism and rejection of all things considered traditional or bourgeois. The most significant branches of Futurist thought are concentrated in Europe: a fervently nationalist ideology promoting youth and militant heroism in the west, and a movement closely tied to international communism in the east.
 * Technocracy is an ideology that advocates to select decision-makers on the basis of their expertise in professional knowledge in science and engineering to lead the country forward, rather than political affiliations or parliamentary skills. Technocracy presents a project of a social order in which governance is conducted through scientific methods instead of a popular, spiritual or dictatorial mandate. This ideology explicitly contrasts with the notion that elected representatives should be the primary decision-makers in government, though it does not necessarily imply eliminating elected representatives. Though the implementation of these methods varies among different governments, the constants are an establishment of an extensive bureaucracy, limitations placed on the democratic process, and elements of economic planning instituted to various degrees. The social and economic forces compromising a society are to be understood and sufficiently mastered, then directed towards some kind of common good through the practice of social engineering. To achieve this goal, technocrats support advancements in technology, seeing methods used in its production as analogous to ones that can be useful in organizing a state.