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Participation. What are all of the ways you can participate in politics?. Why is participation important?. Why don’t some people participate?. Probability of voting = Benefit - Cost. Voter Turnout, 2004 & 2008. What makes a person more likely to vote?. Higher Education Why?
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What makes a person more likely to vote? • Higher Education • Why? • More interest in politics (higher benefit) • More background information to understand politics, and skills to get through the registration and voting process (lower costs)
What makes a person more likely to vote? • Higher Education • Higher Income • Why? • Free time (lower costs) • Stake in community (taxes etc.—higher benefit)
What makes a person more likely to vote? • Higher Education • Higher Income / more resources • Lack of language/cultural barriers
What makes a person more likely to vote? • Higher Education • Higher Income / more resources • Lack of language/cultural barriers • Easy registration
What makes a person more likely to vote? • Higher Education • Higher Income / more resources • Lack of language/cultural barriers • Easy registration • Interest • Social Connectedness
What makes a person more likely to vote? • Social connectedness • Why? • Learn civic skills in a group (lower costs) • Feel responsibility to a particular community (higher benefit) • Group norms (higher social benefit)
What does a healthy democracy really need? • Do you think the system will be biased against people who don’t participate? • So who might the system be biased against? • Does that make for a healthy democracy? • Or maybe democracy can be enhanced through other kinds of participation…
What is social capital? • The norms and trust that develop from interpersonal social relationships • A byproduct of other activities, not something created on its own
Putnam’s evidence for declining social capital • Membership in PTA, League of Women Voters, Elks Clubs and the like have declined 25-50% in the last 25 years. • Bowling leagues and sports leagues have less participation • People spend up to 25% less time socializing with friends than they did in 1965. • Church attendance is down 15-30%. • Attending Club Meetings down 58% • Family dinners down 33% • Having friends over down 45%
What do we really need if we want more people to participate?Do we want more people to participate??