Marius Kundrotas: Is Ideological Politics Still Meaningful?

The article delves into the complexities of ideological politics, contrasting the pragmatic, historically informed approach of conservatism with the often-criticized eclecticism and voluntarism of populism. While populists may selectively adopt ideas to please voters, potentially earning a negative reputation, the author suggests a similar tendency can be observed in classical conservatism, which historically selects ideas that have proven effective.

However, the piece distinguishes between the two, positing that a populist's primary motivation is immediate audience appeal, regardless of potential long-term harm to the nation. In contrast, a conservative prioritizes truth over popularity. Ideologies are presented as systems of ideas, acknowledging that no single concept, be it freedom, equality, tradition, or modernity, can encompass the entirety of human existence. Ideologies attempt to synthesize these diverse ideas, though not always successfully.

The author critiques the reduction of individuals to self-interested, isolated beings, placing this alongside historical models of human relationships on one side of the ideological spectrum. Conversely, social justice and environmentalism are linked with totalitarian principles that threaten personal freedom and identity. Ideas are seen as fragmented, and so are ideologies, containing both truth and error. Yet, a pragmatic collection of ideas driven by self-interest is deemed no better than a well-thought-out ideology.

Prolonged self-interest and manipulation of citizens are identified as consequences of an instrumental approach to ideas, which fuels populism. The article argues that populism is a tactic without strategy, indifferent to the nation's future beyond the next election cycle. A higher level, philosophy, the search for objective truth, even when inconvenient, is presented as superior to ideology. While ideology often acts as a secular substitute for religion, philosophy seeks truth itself. The author concludes that abandoning ideologies entirely is perilous, opening the door to populism, which is neither conservative nor philosophical. Recognizing the conditional nature of all ideologies is advocated as a better path.