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Many American citizens’ first experience with democracy is a school election, sometimes as early as in elementary school.
Political scientists use the term political culture to refer to the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms citizens hold about their relationship to government and to one another.
American political culture centers on democratic values.
Defining the American Political Culture
• Students should identify the most important elements of and sources for the American political culture.
Shared Values
•Before the American and French Revolutions discussions about individual liberty, freedom, equality, private property, limited government, and popular consent were rare.
•The founders of our nation claimed that individuals have certain natural rights.
•During this same period the economic system was changing from a mercantile system to a free market system.
Defining the American Political Culture
The American Political CultureShared Values
Liberty
Equality
Individualism
Respect for the Common Person
Democratic Consensus
Justice and the Rule of Law
Nationalism, Optimism, and Idealism
The American Political Culture (continue)
The American Dream – a set of ideas holding that the U.S. is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work bring economic success
Political and Economic Change – political values are affected by historic and economic developments:
a. The Industrial Transformation
b. Development of large corporations
c. The Great Depression & the New Deal
d. The Global economy
Political Socialization
The way people acquire their political values.
Family members.
School and peers.
Media, especially television.
Religion.
Demographics: race, ethnicity, gender, age, and region.
Outside events.
Most Americans share all but one of the following values
a. Religion
b. Free enterprise
c. Big business
d. Free press
Americans for the most part do not believe in
a. pragmatism
b. free speech
c. active political participation
d. passive government
Americans do not believe in
a. self help
b. government regulations
c. socialism
d. a class system
Americans believe that this condition is necessary to make the system work.
a. unemployment
b. discrimination
c. education
d. uniformity of belief
The most important source of the American political culture is the
a. mass media
b. family
c. schools
d. church or synagogue
Political scientists believe that college attendance has which of the following socializing effects on young people?
a. College attendance makes people less likely to share their family’s political views.
b. College attendance makes young people more conservative.
c. College attendance has no effect on political knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs.
d. College attendance makes young people more liberal.
Political culture refers to shared
a. beliefs
b. values
c. norms
d. all of the above
The American dream consists of
a. enthusiasm for capitalism
b. competitive markets
c. equality of income
d. all of these
In the American system of values, the role of the government is to
a. serve the people
b. protect the nation
c. regulate markets
d. guarantee equality
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
Liberalism
• Contemporary Liberals1. Favor individual rights, rights to own
private property
2. Willing to have government intervention in the economy
3. Advocate equal access to social services & protections
4. Support Affirmative Action & equality of opportunity
5. Prefer tax rates that rise with income
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
• Criticisms of Liberalism
1. Rely too much on government solutions
2. Rely too much on higher taxes
3. Rely too much on bureaucracy
4. Undermine individual initiative, entrepreneurial spirit, self reliance, self help ethics the U.S. was founded on
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
Conservatism• Traditional Conservatives
1. Emphatically pro-business2. Against taxes
3. Oppose most trade, antitrust, and environmental regulations
4. Dispersed government power
5. Limited government services
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
• Social Conservatives (New Right)1. Less focused on economics
2. More focused on morality and lifestyle
3. Favor strong government action in
a. Protection of children from drugs & pornography
b. Limiting abortions
c. Defending freedom and American interests abroad
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
• Criticism of Conservatives1. Don’t want big government unless it
serves its needs or to counter social evils
2. Places too much faith on market economy
3. Tax cuts for the rich at the expense of bigger deficits for defense spending
4. Fail to endorse policies against racism and sexism
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
Environmentalism1. On social issues the so-called Green
movement is similar to liberal
a. Favor grassroots democracy
b. Favor social justice, feminism
c. Support equal opportunity, nonviolence, & respect for diversity
2. Emphasize the ecology & the environment
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
American Socialism1. Favor economic & governmental systems based on
public ownership2. Prefer expanded role of government3. Favor nationalization of certain industries4. Support public programs5. Support taxing the rich & reducing defense spending
American Communism: A political, social, & economic system in which land & capital are collectively owned & political power is exercised by the masses.
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government
Libertarianism1. Cherish individual liberties
2. Favor sharp government limitationsa. Limit defense to national defense only and
all government regulations
3. Oppose all public programs
4. Favor extensive government spending cutsa. Support elimination of FBI, CIA, regulatory
commissions
b. Oppose participation in international bodies, i.e. United Nations
5. Resemble anarchism to some extent
A more radical brand of Conservatism has recently emerged called
a. Contemporary Liberals
b. Libertarians
c. New Right
d. Greens
Which one of the following groups wants the least government
a. Libertarians
b. Conservatives
c. Liberals
d. Socialists
Which group demands the most government
a. Greens
b. Conservatives
c. Liberals
d. Socialists
Those who favor expansion of government control over drinking, drugs, abortion, prayer, and life style are the
a. New Right
b. Conservatives
c. Liberals
d. Libertarians
Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government (continue)
A Word of Caution
•Political labels have different meanings.•Ideology both causes events and is affected by it. •Unlike in 2000 and 2004, the 2008 election produced a winner with a large enough majority in the popular vote and electoral college to claim a mandate.
The most important source of the American political culture is the
a. mass media
b. family
c. schools
d. church or synagogue
Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate Liberal
Male
Female
23%
24
20%
22
Conservative
39%
31
Sex
Race
White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
39
18
24
21
21
22
20 26 36
Undecided
18%
23
17
39
18
32202522
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate LiberalConservativeAge
18-34
35-45
46-55
56-64
26%
36
37
38
45
24%
26
23
21
18
28%
16
17
26
16
Religion
Protestant
Undecided
23%
20
20
15
15
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate LiberalConservative
Religion
Catholic
Jewish
Education
31%
26
25
29
38
28%
12
20
27
25
18
63
14
11
22
Less than high school
High school diploma
Some college
Undecided
23%
0
42
33
15
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate LiberalConservative
Education
42%
45
13
14
21%
14
27
35
32%
39
37
11
Bachelor’s degree
Advanced degree
Party
Democrat
Independent
70 15 5Republican 11
Undecided
40
23
3
5%
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.
Political Ideology &the American People
1. Ideology has economic, social/lifestyle, environmental, civil rights/civil liberties, and foreign/defense policy dimensions.
2. In the United States, most people are moderates or report not knowing whether they are liberal or conservative.
3. The absence of widespread and solidified liberal and conservative positions in the United States makes for politics and policymaking processes that are markedly different from those in most nations.
Political Ideology &the American People
4. Policy making in this country is characterized more by ad hoc coalitions than by fixed alignments that pit one set of ideologies against another.
5. This does not mean that policies or ideas are not important in American politics.
6. Ideologies have consequences.