New Readers Start Here
Brief Introductions:
Meet Systematic Ideology by George Walford
George Walford published this introduction to systematic ideology in each issue of Ideological Commentary from January 1985 to August 1994. This revision of June 1994 is the final published version.
Systematic Ideology by George Walford
“As the years and the decades go by, and now the centuries begin to pass, it becomes increasingly evident that neither socialism, communism nor anarchism embodies the first restless movements of an oppressed majority about to grasp its freedom. Although each of them claims to work for the great body of the people each of them remains confined to a small group of protestors. Harold Walsby’s theory of systematic ideology set out to explain how this comes about, and in doing so has assembled evidence, concepts and reasoning which help to account for a range of social behaviour extending far beyond party politics.” From Ideological Commentary 37, September 1989.
Ideologies in a Hierarchal Order by Dr. Zvi Lamm
Reprinted (slightly edited) with permission from Science and Public Policy, February 1984. The author is Dr. Zvi Lamm, MA, PhD, of the School of Education, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. An introduction of systematic ideology from an academic perspective.
The Systematic Supernatural / Systematic Ideology as a Framework for the Origin, Function, and Alteration of Religion by Mary Cole
Winner, 2013 George Walford International Essay Prize.
New readers are also encouraged to browse a few articles published in Ideological Commentary, some of the winning essays in the George Walford International Essay Prize (£3,500 each year), and a list of topics and authors found at this site.
Book-Length Introductions:
Beyond Politics by George Walford
Starting with the [British political] parties and their policies, Beyond Politics goes on to trace the influences of ideology in the history of society and in some of the main fields of social activity outside party politics. It shows how the major ideologies arise and how they come to be what they are; it looks at some of the ways in which they interact and tries to work out what we can reasonably expect from them in the future. “[This] theory is one of the most important and interesting in its field… its solution to the problem of the point of view from which one discusses ideology is embedded within the theory itself… written lucidly” – Dr. Zvi Lamm, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “The lucid, witty style is a delight in itself. And it makes you think” – Freedom, the Anarchist Fortnightly. London: Calabria Press 1990. 190 pages.
An Outline Sketch of Systematic Ideology by George Walford
“The theory of systematic ideology indicates that we have to accept the range of major ideologies, and the groups identified with them, as enduring features of our society. This points to the conclusion that an adequate political structure would be one in accordance with the ideological structure, one which recognised that the major ideologies, and the major ideological groups, are complementary, rather than merely opposed, one to another. It is a conclusion which amounts to nothing more – and nothing less – than the recognition that if we are to survive we shall need to adapt our political system to the ideological realities.” London: The Bookshop, 1977. 32 pages. Outline Sketch is a skeleton key guide to The Domain of Ideologies by Harold Walsby.
The Domain of Ideologies by Harold Walsby
The foundation document of the study now known as systematic ideology. Familiarity with The Domain of Ideologies is essential for a thorough grasp of the theory and the changes it has undergone since inception. With a new introduction, new bibliography and new index. Glasgow: William Maclellan in collaboration with the Social Science Association, 1947. Second Edition 2009.