Ideology as Coalition Operating System

Ideologies do two jobs at once: they publicly justify a coalition’s claims to outsiders and internally coordinate, bind, and discipline members. Over time, they also develop a momentum and logic of their own that can drift from initial material interests. Seeing ideology this way explains purity spirals, factional enforcement, and why arguments often track coalition needs more than truth. — This dual‑function lens clarifies polarization mechanics and helps forecast when movements harden or splinter, improving analysis of party strategy and institutional capture.