Ideologies and specific worldviews are of particular relevance for political
parties. Ideologies are comprehensive visions of societies and social
developments, which contain explanations, values, and goals for past,
present and future developments. Ideologies inspire and justify political
and social action. They are an essential element for political orientation.
The term “ideology” has been and is still used mainly by leftist, communist
and socialist parties to characterize their worldviews and political positions.
Nevertheless, other streams of political thinking can also be denominated
as “ideologies”, like, for instance, liberalism, conservatism, nationalism or
fascism.