This new textbook shows that each of the major political ideologies gives rise to, or in some cases specifies, a particular view of human beings, with significant consequences for the ways we organise our political systems and our forms of political participation. In each chapter, the author provides a brief historical introduction and then outlines the key points of the ideology concerned. He then demonstrates conceptual and practical issues that arise thence, including successes and failures in the implementation of the selected ideologies. The chapters follow a broad conceptual sequence and adopt a chronological order where appropriate.