ABSTRACT
Another kind of theory of the psychology of political belief traces our political beliefs to comprehensive ideologies which serve powerful interests or help maintain a stable society. We examine the Marxist notion of false consciousness and the theory of system justification from social psychology. We then consider contemporary philosophers’ views of the notion of ideology and the project of ideology critique. We close with an excerpt from the Foucault–Chomsky debate on ideology and morality in politics, returning us to the theme of the roots of political conflict.
