An ideology is a more or less coherent set of ideas that provides the basis for organised political action, whether this is intended to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power. All ideologies therefore have the following features:
They offer an account of the existing order, usually in the form of a ‘world view’
They advance a model of a desired future, a vision of the ‘good society’
They explain how political change can and should be brought about – how to get from (a) to (b)