'The great merit of Andrew Heywood's book is that he takes ideology seriously, and explores patiently and with admirable clarity the different characteristics of the classic western ideologies, as well as the new themes and directions of recent ideological thought. He has produced one of the best available introductions to the subject anywhere in print.' - Professor Andrew Gamble, Sheffield University This fully revised and updated edition of the leading text on political ideologies has been redesigned in a larger format with many new features to make it even more accessible and student-friendly. A new chapter has been added on religious fundamentalism as well as increased coverage of the nature of ideology, its relationship to globalisation and postmodernism, and its prospects in the twenty-first century.