I need help on my world history essay!?

So for our finals or what our teacher calls the "midterms", we have to write an essay and I'm stumped. He asks, " In your opinion, how have ideological, scientific, and industrial advancements contributed to the ideals we value in a modern democratic nation?". Now I'm wondering what he means by ideological advancements. I'm not wanting anyone to answer the question, but to clarify it.