Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
An outstanding guide for all levels of study!, 15 Jan 2002
By A Customer
...The book starts by outlining its main aims in helping the student, and examines the terms such as 'Left' and 'Right' in the political spectrum. Heywood then goes on to examine each major political ideology and their branches in their appropriate chapters, working through them in chronological order, and putting them within their own contexts, and highlighting their significance. Furthermore, 'micro-biographies', in small boxes, with regards to political and philosophical thinkers, are included throughout, with their contributions to the ideas in question fully emphasized. If this isn't enough, there are numerous 'Perspectives on...' boxes spread throughout the text, showing specifically where each ideology stands with regards to certain polemic or unclear topics, such as Racism or Women in Society. As far as I can remember, the following ideologies are included, more or less in this order: Liberalism, Conservatism, Socialism (with Marxism), Anarchism, Fascism, Feminism, Ecologism, Religious Fundamentalism, although it is quite possible I've left some out.
This is a unique book, in that it's unbelievably easy to read and take in, and answers most questions you would have regarding political philosophy. As well as this, since passing on to university, my own copy of Heywood's Political Ideologies has served me well, even though I'm reading History now. Many Undergraduates and Postgraduates researching Politics and Philosophy also find this an invaluable tool for study (I have this on good authority!), and to sum up, anyone remotely interested in this field would find it to be a priceless addition to their personal library. A masterpiece!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
A really good introduction., 28 Nov 2006
I bought this book because I felt ignorant about politics - I wanted to know the difference between left-wing and right-wing; I wanted to know the connections (if any) between communism, democracy, fascism and feminism.
This book answered all of those questions, and many more. It is an extremely clear and well laid out book, that takes you step-by-step through a whole range of political ideologies. It makes clear the internal tensions, and the surprising similarities between seemingly opposing views.
I found the style fairly easy to read, and it didn't assume too much prior knowledge. I found some of the later chapters on subjects such as ecologism, feminism and religious fundamentalism to be a little less well explored, and it was sometimes hard to see exactly how they fitted with the other subjects in the book. Apart from that, I'd say this is as good an introduction to the subject as you could hope to find. Definitely recommended.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, 8 Jun 2006
This book is a clear, concise and accessible introduction to political ideology. The language is easy to understand and the book is actually a joy to read. I highly recommend it.
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