Political ideology is a set of beliefs dealing with the matters of politics and the roles of the government.
Aside from beliefs about how a political system should be run, political ideology also dictates the means by which to achieve that goal.
For example, while the beliefs of the modern Democratic Party may be in line with that of the New Black Panther Party, Democrats don't typically brandish weapons at polling places, while New Black Panthers find it appropriate to do so in the name of accomplishing their goals.
Political ideology is often a function of weighing personal values, combined with the importance that a person places on religion and a sense of community.