Why ideology should begin debate rather than end it

Does ideology ruin political decision-making?

It can when treated as a demand for purity; facts, context, and workable options should decide policy.

Ideology can provide a starting framework, but it cannot substitute for examining facts and alternatives. A proposal's origin on the left or right matters less than whether it fits the situation and achieves its intended purpose. The search for ideological purity is especially dangerous in a democracy, whose institutions must hold competing ideas and enable disagreement. Policy should therefore be judged in context, with room left for compromise.