Nikolaev, I. V. Verbal Symbols in the Structure of Political Ideology

Abstract: Political ideologies that are usually aimed at reaching the highest level of electoral support have lost the uniqueness of their concepts of the ideal political future. The modern ideological concepts have no clear definitions and simply create the discursive background for political actions. Clear definitions are replaced with terms with an average life span that are aimed at performance of mobilizing and integrating functions under the conditions of changing political environment. The author of the article assumes that domination of such ‘verbal symbols’ lead to final degradation of ideology as a stable system of world views and simplify it to a set of technological tools for maintaining status quo or implementation of particular projects. The purpose of this research is to develop a theoretical model for analyzing verbal political symbols which could be used in Russian political environment. Analysis of verbal political symbols is based on the post-Marxian theory of discourse as introduced by Laclau and Chantal Mouffe as well as the idea about Laswell’s ‘key symbols’. The research is aimed at attracting attention of Russian political analysts to the theory of ‘verbal political symbols’ developed by American researchers. Being initially an ‘empty sign’, verbal symbol acquires a meaning depending on the needs of the political environmentand therefore it is instable and constantly changing. Ideology that is based on verbal symbols does not have a steady content and serves as a communication mobilizing technology. Thetheoreticalmodel offered by the author of the article can be used in analysis of modern political ideologies, election programs, discourse of political leaders and etc.

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