Chapter Three

Political Culture and Political Socialization

Comparative Politics Today, 9/e Almond, Powell, Dalton & Strøm

Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman © 2008

Political Culture and Political Socialization Political Culture and Political Socialization § Each nation has its own political norms that influence how people think and act about politics.

§ The way political institutions function at least partially reflects the public’s attitudes, norms, and expectations.

§ Political culture: public attitudes toward politics and their role within the political system

§ Political socialization: how individuals form their political attitudes and thus, collectively, how citizens form their political culture; we conclude by describing the major trends in political culture in the world politics today

§ Each nation has its own political norms that influence how people think and act about politics.

§ The way political institutions function at least partially reflects the public’s attitudes, norms, and expectations.

§ Political culture: public attitudes toward politics and their role within the political system

§ Political socialization: how individuals form their political attitudes and thus, collectively, how citizens form their political culture; we conclude by describing the major trends in political culture in the world politics today

Mapping the Three Levels of Political Culture Mapping the Three Levels of Political Culture

§ A nation’s political culture includes its citizens’ orientations at three levels: § The political system § The political and policymaking process § Policy outputs and outcomes

§ A nation’s political culture includes its citizens’ orientations at three levels: § The political system § The political and policymaking process § Policy outputs and outcomes

Mapping the Three Levels of Political Culture Mapping the Three Levels of Political Culture § The system level involves how people view the values and organizations that comprise the political system. § The process level includes expectations of how politics should function and individuals’ relationship to the political process. § The policy level deals with the public’s policy expectations for the government.

§ The system level involves how people view the values and organizations that comprise the political system. § The process level includes expectations of how politics should function and individuals’ relationship to the political process. § The policy level deals with the public’s policy expectations for the government.

The System Level The System Level

§ It is difficult for any political system to endure if it lacks the support of its citizens. § Feelings of national pride are considered an affective, emotional tie to a political system.

§ It is difficult for any political system to endure if it lacks the support of its citizens. § Feelings of national pride are considered an affective, emotional tie to a political system.

The System Level The System Level

§ Feelings of popular legitimacy are another foundation for a successful political system. § Citizens may grant legitimacy to a government for different reasons. § Tradition, ideology, elections, or religion

§ In systems with low legitimacy, people often resort to violence or extra­governmental actions to solve political disagreements.

§ Feelings of popular legitimacy are another foundation for a successful political system. § Citizens may grant legitimacy to a government for different reasons. § Tradition, ideology, elections, or religion

§ In systems with low legitimacy, people often resort to violence or extra­governmental actions to solve political disagreements.

The Process Level The Process Level

§ The second level of the political culture involves what the public expects of the political process.

§ Broadly speaking, three different patterns describe the citizens’ role in the political process. § Participants are involved as actual or potential participants in the political process.

§ Subjects passively obey government officials and the law, but they do not vote or actively involve themselves in politics.

§ Parochials are hardly aware of government and politics.

§ The second level of the political culture involves what the public expects of the political process.

§ Broadly speaking, three different patterns describe the citizens’ role in the political process. § Participants are involved as actual or potential participants in the political process.

§ Subjects passively obey government officials and the law, but they do not vote or actively involve themselves in politics.

§ Parochials are hardly aware of government and politics.

The Process Level The Process Level

§ Hypothetical examples: How are citizen types distributed within these examples? § Modern industrial democracy § Industrialized authoritarian society § Authoritarian society that is party traditional and partly modern

§ Democratic pre­industrial system § How does social and economic modernization affect the distribution of citizen types and the political norms of a system?

§ What has been the nature of modernization across the world?

§ Hypothetical examples: How are citizen types distributed within these examples? § Modern industrial democracy § Industrialized authoritarian society § Authoritarian society that is party traditional and partly modern

§ Democratic pre­industrial system § How does social and economic modernization affect the distribution of citizen types and the political norms of a system?

§ What has been the nature of modernization across the world?

The Policy Level The Policy Level

§ What is the appropriate role of government? § Policy expectations vary across the globe. § Some policy goals such as economic well­being are valued by nearly everyone.

§ Variation in terms of what is expected relates to a nation’s circumstances and cultural traditions.

§ One of the basic measures of government performance is its ability to meet the policy expectations of its citizens.

§ Expectations regarding the functioning of government: outputs (providing welfare and security) or process features (rule of law and procedural justice)

§ What is the appropriate role of government? § Policy expectations vary across the globe. § Some policy goals such as economic well­being are valued by nearly everyone.

§ Variation in terms of what is expected relates to a nation’s circumstances and cultural traditions.

§ One of the basic measures of government performance is its ability to meet the policy expectations of its citizens.

§ Expectations regarding the functioning of government: outputs (providing welfare and security) or process features (rule of law and procedural justice)

Consensual or Conflictual Political Cultures Consensual or Conflictual Political Cultures § When a country is deeply divided in its political values and these differences persist over time, distinctive political subcultures may develop. § They have sharply different points of view on some critical political matters, such as the boundaries of the nation, the nature of the regime, or the correct ideology. § Sometimes historical or social factors will generate different cultural trajectories. § Ethnic, religious, or linguistic identities § Migration

§ When a country is deeply divided in its political values and these differences persist over time, distinctive political subcultures may develop. § They have sharply different points of view on some critical political matters, such as the boundaries of the nation, the nature of the regime, or the correct ideology. § Sometimes historical or social factors will generate different cultural trajectories. § Ethnic, religious, or linguistic identities § Migration

Why Culture Matters Why Culture Matters

§ Cultural norms typically change slowly and reflect stable values. § It encapsulates the history, traditions, and values of a society.

§ Congruence theory § The distribution of cultural patterns is typically related to the type of political process that citizens expect and support. § Do democracies create a participatory democratic public, or does a political culture lead to a democratic political system? § It works both ways.

§ Political culture can build common political community, but it can also have the power to divide.

§ Cultural norms typically change slowly and reflect stable values. § It encapsulates the history, traditions, and values of a society.

§ Congruence theory § The distribution of cultural patterns is typically related to the type of political process that citizens expect and support. § Do democracies create a participatory democratic public, or does a political culture lead to a democratic political system? § It works both ways.

§ Political culture can build common political community, but it can also have the power to divide.

Political Socialization Political Socialization

§ Political cultures are sustained or changed as people acquire their attitudes and values. § Political socialization refers to the way in which political values are formed and political culture is transmitted from one generation to the next. § Most children acquire their basic political values and behavior patters at a relatively early age. § Some attitudes will evolve and change throughout life.

§ Political cultures are sustained or changed as people acquire their attitudes and values. § Political socialization refers to the way in which political values are formed and political culture is transmitted from one generation to the next. § Most children acquire their basic political values and behavior patters at a relatively early age. § Some attitudes will evolve and change throughout life.

Political Socialization Political Socialization

§ Three general points about socialization: § Socialization can occur in different ways. § Direct socialization

§ Socialization is a lifelong process. § Patterns of socialization can be either unifying or divisive.

§ Three general points about socialization: § Socialization can occur in different ways. § Direct socialization

§ Socialization is a lifelong process. § Patterns of socialization can be either unifying or divisive.

Agents of Political Socialization Agents of Political Socialization

§ Individuals, organizations, and institutions that influence political attitudes. § Family § Schools § Religious institutions § Fundamentalism

§ Peer groups § Social class § Interest groups § Political parties § Mass media § Global influence; most people in the world watch television to learn about the world

§ Individuals, organizations, and institutions that influence political attitudes. § Family § Schools § Religious institutions § Fundamentalism

§ Peer groups § Social class § Interest groups § Political parties § Mass media § Global influence; most people in the world watch television to learn about the world

Direct Contact with the Government Direct Contact with the Government

§ In modern societies, the wide scope of governmental activities bring citizens into frequent contact with bureaucratic agencies. § Personal experiences are powerful agents of socialization.

§ In modern societies, the wide scope of governmental activities bring citizens into frequent contact with bureaucratic agencies. § Personal experiences are powerful agents of socialization.

Trends Shaping Contemporary Political Cultures Trends Shaping Contemporary Political Cultures

§ Democratization § Marketization § Greater public acceptance of free markets and private profit incentives, rather than a government­managed economy

§ Globalization

§ Democratization § Marketization § Greater public acceptance of free markets and private profit incentives, rather than a government­managed economy

§ Globalization

Trends Shaping Contemporary Political Cultures Trends Shaping Contemporary Political Cultures § Political culture is not a static phenomenon. § Encompasses how the agents of political socialization communicate and interpret historic events and traditional values § Important to understand § Influences how citizens act, how the political process functions, and what policy goals the government pursues

§ Political culture is not a static phenomenon. § Encompasses how the agents of political socialization communicate and interpret historic events and traditional values § Important to understand § Influences how citizens act, how the political process functions, and what policy goals the government pursues