In this book, John Schwarzmantel assesses the major ideologies of modern times - liberalism, socialism and conservatism - and traces their relationships with one another, with the always ambiguous ideology of nationalism, and to the emergence of modern societies, democratic politics and Enlightenment ideas. The current ideological crisis represents both a crisis of modernity and of the key Enlightenment values of progress and emancipation. The Age of Ideology provides a broad-ranging overview of the key themes of modern political and social thought, the nature and crisis of modernity, and the rise and fall of Enlightenment ideas. It will be essential reading for students of politics, philosophy and sociology and for anyone concerned about progress, emancipation and the quest for a good society.