Let's now take a closer look at the various political philosophies. The bottom of the frame will be treated somewhat marginally, as it is not strictly speaking a political ideology, but rather a social system that tends towards totalitarianism.

But first, we need to explain an important distinction.

Milton Friedman wrote

Indeed, policies, often motivated by generous intentions, can have unforeseen or harmful consequences if they are not based on a rigorous analysis of human incentives and behavior. For example, a social policy aimed at helping the poor often creates perverse effects such as economic dependency or market distortion.

For Friedman, measurable results - such as economic growth, poverty reduction or efficiency - must take precedence over intentions, because the latter, while noble, do not guarantee success.

The structural or practical definitions, focus on how political systems work in practice, and on their observable characteristics. For example, socialism is characterized by the state's tendency to take charge of, regulate and plan everything. Libertarianism, on the other hand, is defined by the primacy given to the individual and his or her freedom, tending towards minimal state intervention in the economy and elsewhere.

In contrast, intentional definitions are based on the stated motivations, goals or intentions of individuals or groups. For example, socialism has social justice as its goal. However, if we rely on intentions, things become blurred, because everyone is in favor of justice. That's why we prefer to use structural definitions for a clearer, more objective analysis.

The following chapters explain how to define political families structurally.