Which features make a system of ideas an ideology in the strict sense?

In the context of ideology, a system of ideas is considered an ideology in the strict sense when it functions as a comprehensive framework that both explains the world and seeks to change it. Unlike broader or looser definitions of belief systems, an ideology in the strict sense is identified by five specific characteristics:

• Explanatory Theory: It provides a relatively comprehensive theory regarding human experience and the external world.1
• Programmatic Organization: It outlines a social and political program presented in generalized and abstract terms.1
• Struggle: It views the realization of its program as a process that necessitates a struggle.1
• Commitment: It seeks to recruit loyal adherents, demanding a high level of personal commitment.1
• Leadership Role: It addresses a wide public while often conferring a special role of leadership upon intellectuals.1

These features distinguish strict ideologies—such as communism, fascism, or positivism—from other types of belief systems, which may lack such elaborate intellectual structures or the explicit mission to transform society.12