b. ㉢ Ideological Capacity

㉢ Ideological Capacity

 

Third, ideological capacity refers to the ability to create, change, and stimulate conceptual value systems of other political entities, which can lead to cooperation or struggle towards a specific political entity^{[Def. 1.3]}. Politically, it particularly refers to the ability to secure and propagate a "favorable" value system.

 

If political actor a secures a value system favorable to himself and propagates it, he is said to have the same degree of ideological capacity. With this ideological capacity, the political actor makes other political actors cooperate (obey) with him. As W. Lippmann said, if there is no faith in the legitimacy of the purpose, people lose the energy and will to continue their actions, and ideological capacity is the ability to make others believe in the legitimacy of activities (goals) that support oneself.

 

Jean Bodin, Louis XIV of France, and James I of England advocated for the divine right of kings. However, Wilhelm IV of Germany, who was a supporter of this theory, rejected the imperial crown offered by parliamentarians, arguing that it was a crown decided by the lower-class people. This fact demonstrates that the theory of divine right of kings' founders had an impact on Wilhelm IV's political actions. Similarly, in the 18th century, the Enlightenment movement contributed to the abolition of the privileges of nobles and elites and the expansion of suffrage by spreading the idea that all people are politically and legally equal. Enlightenment thinkers were a case of those who exerted political influence through their ideas. In addition to political philosophy, religious authority, historical legitimacy, and moral authority also have political influence. The key is always having a conceptual system that can change the behavior of others.

 

 

Moral Values and Value Phenomena

 

One common difficulty when understanding the concept of ideological capacity is the confusion between ⓐ moral values and ⓑ value phenomena. Value phenomena refer to "operative ideals," as described by Lindsay, and are phenomena related to values, not moral values (evaluation). If ⓐ moral values pertain to evaluating right and wrong, ⓑ value phenomena are merely "facts" that people have ideas about what is right and wrong or "explanations" of the values people pursue or seek at that time. Value phenomena do not evaluate what is good or bad.

 

However, many readers may not be familiar with such precise conceptual distinctions, and misunderstandings resulting from this could lead to many incorrect criticisms of political phenomenon theory. To prevent this, let us provide additional discussion using examples of political phenomena.

 

First, let us examine the situations in 11th-century France and post-World War I Germany. In 11th-century Europe, the Capetian Kings of France, led by King Hugh Capet, were so weak that they could not even maintain their own livelihoods, let alone influence the wars between emperors. Nevertheless, thanks to the powerful support of the Church, they were able to maintain their throne, and the fact (phenomenon) that "they have religious authority" was the reason for their continued power. In post-World War I Germany, Hermann Göring and Rudolf Hess became members of the Nazi Party after being moved by Hitler's speech as they searched for someone to pledge loyalty to. The fact that Hitler's speech moved people became the cause of the increase in Nazi Party members. Whether the Capetian dynasty or Hitler were correct individuals is a separate issue.

 

The differences in ideology, which are a part of phenomena, lead to differences in political choices. In 1519, Cho Gwang-jo, who was banished due to the Gimyosahwa, left only one statement about his innocence before he died. However, in 1839 during the Catholic persecution, Hwang Sa-yeong was exposed for sending a white paper to the French bishop, asking for invasion of Korea. Even when facing political oppression and death, some people pledge allegiance to the king and die, while others request foreign armies to invade their country. This difference arises from the gap between the Confucian ideology that Cho Gwang-jo held and the Catholic ideology that Hwang Sa-yeong held.

 

Ideological capacity can be classified and organized into a three-level scale^[Ch.2.15], as shown in Table 3.14, according to the scope of political causality.

 

[Tab.3.14] Structure and Means of Acquisition of Ideological Capacity

Scale of Phenomena	Examples	Means	Political Effect
㉠ Macro -level	Fundamental Beliefs (Religious, Traditional)	Exemplification and Performance throughout Life	Faith, Basic Values
㉡ Middle -level	Theoretical System (Academic, Ideological)	Academic Activity and Publication/ Education	Sense of Justice, Honor
㉢ Micro -level	Cultural Activity (Art, Ritual)	Satisfying Self-realization	Elegance, Refinement

 

 

Macro-level Ideological Force

 

Macro-level ideological force can be exemplified by religion or traditional concepts. Confucianism and Buddhism in East Asia, Islam in the Middle East, and Christianity in the West are typical examples of this ideological force. Other examples of macro-level ideological force include ancient historical consciousness, national consciousness, and indigenous beliefs. To acquire such ideological force, individuals or organizations that are political actors must demonstrate and practice religious examples throughout their lives. This was true for Confucius, Buddha, Muhammad, and Jesus, for instance.

 

Macro-level ideological force acts on individual political actors' inner selves in the form of faith or basic values and changes the direction of the activities of many people in a wide area for a long time. The thoughts of the Chinese sage Confucius, for example, dominated East Asian culture and politics for more than two thousand years. Similarly, the Roman Catholic organization exercised various indirect political influences while dominating Western culture, as can be seen in the humiliation of the Cathars. The political power of the medieval popes in Europe was also formidable. The political influence of Islam in the Middle East was very strong and became a force that established a huge empire in just one century. Muhammad, the founder of Islam, and his descendants gained significant political influence in the Islamic world. During the Joseon Dynasty, political power was largely held by the Sarim faction of scholars, who were political ideologues.

 

The interpretation of religious figures as political actors and the assertion that they possess political power(capacity) may seem awkward, given that most of them did not have political goals and failed to obtain political power during their lifetime. However, their ideological force has a highly macro-level and long-term effect, which mainly manifests as a political impact after their passing. If Jesus were alive today, his political influence would likely far surpass that of the Catholic Pope, indicating the magnitude of his ideological force. For example, although the Pope's power was initially weaker than that of the Emperor of the Empire, in 11th-century Europe, the Church became more wealthy, solidified its power in all areas, and owned many donated lands and military fortifications.

 

 

Middle-level Ideological Force

 

Middle-level ideological force is exemplified by scholarship and ideology. T'oegye School, which dominated the spiritual world of Joseon and later became the center of Japanese bushido, John Locke's tripartite theory of government that laid the foundation for modern democratic theory, and communist thought based on dialectical materialism are representative examples of such ideological capacity. To acquire such capacity, political actors such as individuals or organizations must develop persuasive ideas through academic activities and disseminate them widely through publication or education. T'oegye Yi Hwang, Immanuel Kant, John Locke, and Karl Marx are examples of actors who have acquired such middle-level ideological capacity.

 

Ideological force operates by providing individuals and organizations, as political actors, with criteria and means for decision-making that define their sense of justice and honor. For instance, those who follow the Neo-Confucian school of thought consider it just and honorable to respect and obey their ruler and parents. Behaviors that damage honor, no matter how minor, are considered as acts that provoke struggles, according to Thomas Hobbes. Thus, honor is a powerful factor in prompting action. In 1399, Henry IV (1399-1413), who became King of England through parliamentary election and treated opponents with caution and conciliation, faced numerous plots and rebellions due to the stigma of being a usurper. This highlights the moral obsession of maintaining dignity and decorum as a monarch. Similarly, the action of the French king who died in the flames can be understood through the same moral constraint.

 

Ideological force, despite being somewhat weak and pervasive, acts persistently over a wide area^[Ch.3.103]. Even in the case of individual political actors, the effect of middle-level ideological force may not manifest until long after they have passed away. For example, philosopher Montesquieu, who authored "The Spirit of the Laws," died in 1755, yet his influence was still being felt by the majority of Americans when the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. Many communists and labor activists continue to adhere to Marxist beliefs. This demonstrates the significant impact that intellectual figures can have, even in the absence of physical presence. Although the influence of intellectuals is generally weaker than that of religion or tradition, ideological force can still be an influential force.

 

 

Micro-level Ideological Force

 

Micro-level ideological force is related to cultural activities such as art, rituals, and hobbies. Literature, art, music, film, and ceremonial events are some of the representative examples of micro-level ideological force. Culture is generally seen as the totality of the specificity and individuality of human social phenomena, and from a political perspective, culture is a collection of specific value systems that arise from the struggle for human survival^[Ch.1.1]. The differences between Korean and American cultures, for example, are reflected in differences in dining etiquette and clothing habits, which indicate what each group prefers and values. To acquire such micro-level ideological force, individuals or organizations must become idols. Some of the subjects of micro-level ideological capacity include literary figures like Tolstoy, world-famous pop singers like Michael Jackson, figure skaters like Kim Yuna, and celebrities who lead trends.

 

Micro-level ideological force, culture, stimulates individuals' inner sense of dignity, beauty, or enjoyment. For example, some people drive expensive sports cars on the main street of Gangnam in Seoul just to look cool, while others refuse to buy sneakers that have been given a bad nickname, resulting in a drastic decrease in sales. In more extreme cases, there are elderly people in rural areas who have become rich by collecting a large amount of peanuts, but starved themselves to death because they refused to eat their own peanuts to maintain their status as wealthy individuals. Similarly, some Polynesian chiefs chose death over the loss of dignity due to their obsessive belief that they should not bring food to their mouths with their own hands.

 

The pursuit of dignity or elegance by individuals is driven by the desire for recognition and approval from others. Recognition has been a powerful motivation for group behavior even before the emergence of modern society, to the extent that Hobbes identified it as one of the causes of human conflict. People struggled not only for their own personal interests, but also for their community's way of life to be respected by others. This struggle has been a long-standing cause of political phenomena.

 

Generally, ideological capacity exerts influence slowly and over a long period of time. However, micro-level ideological force can have an effect before the subjects perish, and it is therefore natural to say that these political actors have such "political influence." An example of this is when Apple released Apple Music and offered a three-month free trial for music streaming services, which prompted the worldwide famous singer, Taylor Swift, to pressure Apple Music into retracting their offer. Although such micro-level ideological force may appear weak and subtly operative, to the point where the actors appear to lack political power, their influence can be relatively broad and long-lasting, so they should be considered important from time to time.

 

Naturally, micro-level, middle-level, and macro-level value phenomena are continuous. People pursue dignity and fashion in the short term, but soon pursue honor in the medium term. If this continues, they will pursue one ideology or religion in the long term. Conversely, the value system of honor and pride in the middle level is determined in the context of the macro-level value system of religion or ideology, which is widely and universally shared by people, and cultural activities as a micro-level value system are determined as part of that context.