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Introductory Themes American Political Culture

August 25-August 30 American Federal Government. Introductory Themes American Political Culture . Introductory Themes and American Political Culture. Political Power Authority Legitimacy. Conceptions of Democracy. Democratic Centralism Direct Democracy Representative Democracy

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Introductory Themes American Political Culture

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  1. August 25-August 30 AmericanFederalGovernment • Introductory Themes • American Political Culture

  2. Introductory Themes and American Political Culture • Political Power • Authority • Legitimacy

  3. Conceptions of Democracy • Democratic Centralism • Direct Democracy • Representative Democracy • popular sovereignty • citizen demands and government action • participation • deliberation • majority rule

  4. Majority Rule: Good or Bad? • No guarantee of good decisions • Majority tyranny can threaten minorities • Apathy toward politics

  5. Who Really Governs? • Different approaches • Marxist • Elitist • Bureaucratic • Pluralist

  6. Political Culture • Definition • A basic set of shared values, attitudes and beliefs that differentiate Americans from citizens of other countries

  7. Myths about the Founding of the American Republic • British as tyrranical • All the colonists favored independence • Colonists were militarily superior • American Revolution as a symbol of freedom for the world • Constitution was divinely inspired

  8. Characteristics of American Political Culture • Equality of opportunity, not outcome • Individual responsibility • Mistrust of government & governmental power • Limited government • Religion and faith • Providence, abundance, and Manifest Destiny • Associationalism and civic duty • Greater inclusion of “out-groups”?

  9. American Political Culture Compared • High confidence in political institutions • Lower confidence in people running political institutions • Religiosity • Declining sense of political efficacy

  10. Confidence in Institutions: America and Europe Compared

  11. Confidence in People Running American Institutions

  12. Religiosity: The United States Compared

  13. Population of the US by Race and Ethnicity, 2000(Census Bureau)

  14. Population Change in the US1980-2000

  15. Changes in U.S. Occupational Structure

  16. Race & Ethnicity • Blacks/African-Americans • migration, political protest, civil rights • issue divisions • Latinos/Hispanics • diversity as a group • low political mobilization • exception? South Florida

  17. Race & Ethnicity • Asian Americans • recent immigration • considerably diverse group • issue foci • Native Americans • scattering of distinct cultures • conquered nations, poverty, and protest • new economic devlopment: casino gambling

  18. 1996 Presidential Vote by Ethnicity

  19. 2000 Presidential Vote by Ethnicity

  20. Class in American Politics? • Most Americans believe they are in the middle class • What is the definition? Gingrich vs. Clinton • Tolerance for income inequality

  21. Income Distribution: The U.S. Compared

  22. Gender in American Politics • The Gender Gap • a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting differences in views between men and women • Example: --> Sexual Harrassment in the workplace • 24% of men say it is a serious problem • 38% of women say it is a serious problem (ICPSR /ANES 1992 pre/post election surveys)

  23. Gender Gap in Voting: 1992/96 Vote for Clinton

  24. Gender Gap in Voting: 2000 Election, Gore/Bush

  25. Religion in American Politics • Secularism and protest • Values, culture, and moral issues • abortion • Rise or Demise of the Christian Right? • The GOP connection

  26. Membership in the Christian Coalition, 1989-95

  27. Ideology: Moderates Carry the Day

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