Political Culture and Ideology

1. Political Culture and Ideology From Wilson & DiIulio, 2001; Wood & Schmidt, 2005; and Wright and Barbour, 2006

2. Political Culture • Political culture broad pattern of ideas, beliefs, and values about citizens and government held by a population (how political and economic life ought to be carried out)

3. Political Culture • Includes both economic and political beliefs • About public (not private) lives; relationship of individuals to government and the role that the government ought to play • Transmitted by families, schools, communities, literature, religious institutions (political socialization)

4. Political Culture • Helps to promote political stability in that most citizens buy into the theoretical framework of our nation • Political subculture political culture distinguished by region, religion or other characteristics • What would southern California’s political subculture be?

5. American Political Culture: Influences • Enlightenment heritage • Constitutional heritage • Balance between personal liberty and social order (preoccupation with maintaining and asserting rights) • Experience during British rule (distrust of political) authority

6. American Political Culture: Influences • Religion/Religious Diversity • No official state religion • Puritan Protestant v. Catholic • Puritans work ethic, individualism • Catholics deference to authority hierarchy • Industrial Revolution • Led to increasing disparities of wealth • Capitalism (wealth based on work, $, not just land) • Free enterprise/limited government • Great Depression ”support the general welfare”

7. American Political Culture • Alexis de Tocqueville Democracy in America (1830s) • Abundant, fertile land • Abundant opportunities for people to become landowners • Lack of feudalism/entrenched aristocracy • Independent spirit

8. Elements of American Political Culture • Liberty natural right (Locke) • Equality Declaration of Independence (Jefferson) • Individualism individuals are responsible for their own well being and that success as a country grounded in an individual’s ability to make own decisions to compete for success (what is good for the individual is good for the country)

9. Elements of American Political Culture • Democracy consent of the governed • Rule of Law government based on impartial application of the law (no one is above the law) vs. rule of individual • Civic duty have to the responsibility to be informed citizens and be involved in local affairs

10. American Political Culture (later additions) • Emerge in response to the industrial revolution • Capitalism • Free Enterprise • 1930s (RooseveltNew Deal) • Promotion of the general welfare • Second Bill of Rights job, food clothing, home, medical care

11. Tensions within the System • Value of individualism versus equality • During industrial revolutionrobber barons'’ rights versus workers’ rights • Health Care Debate • In 1990s, government’s responsibility to provide for the general welfare versus individualism • 2009-2010 “Government takeover,” “Socialism”

12. Other Values • Political Tolerance (Wood & Schmidt, p. 36) • More tolerant in theory than in practice • In general fairly willing to respect first amendment rights of those who don’t agree with us • However, most Americans dislike another group so much that they are willing to deny some of its rights • More politically tolerant over time

13. Other Values • Trust in the government • Declined significantly since 1960s • Drop in political efficacy (a citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political events) • internal efficacy ability to understand and take part in political affairs (steady over past 50 years) • external efficacy belief of the individual that the government is responsive to his/her needs (dropped significantly since 1960s/1970s

14. Other Trends • People generally feel that the government is too big to be responsive to individual needs • However, Americans have higher external efficacy rates than many Europeans • More likely to get involved in politics, but less likely to vote than most Europeans

15. Other Trends • American political culture more consensual than conflictual • However some argue that amount of conflict has increased since 1950s (the culture wars) • Abortion, gay rights, drug use, school prayer • US has unchanging standards and US as force for good in world • Standards for judging the world/others change and there are legitimate alternatives to these standards; US has had negative/neutral impact on world affairs • Does this divide mark a shift in political culture or does this reflect an ideological argument?

16. Political Culture vs. Political Ideology • Political culture broad pattern of ideas, beliefs, and values about citizens and government held by a population (how political and economic life ought to be carried out) • Political ideology sets of beliefs about politics and society that help people make sense of their world (views on policies that the government ought to pursue)

17. Political Culture vs. Political Ideology • Can disagree on ideology, but share similar political cultures • The culture is the value system and the ideology is how these values should be lived/carried out • Some ideologies don’t fit well within the same political culture (capitalism and communism)

18. Political Ideology • Labels widely used, but most don’t know what they really mean • Most Americans are moderate • Ideological labels (while sometimes problematic) provide informational short cuts to voters

19. Liberalism • 17th century Europe • Jefferson and Jackson • protection of individual rights and liberties • Small government, laissez faire • Depression • Idea that government could be a positive force for change; government could ensure equality of opportunity

20. Conservatism • Alexander Hamilton/John Adams • Trustee model most political decisions should be left up to political leaders; less optimistic about human nature • 19th/20th Century emphasis on private property rights and free enterprise • Opposed New Deal program human needs should be taken care of by families and charities

21. Current Spectrum(see Contemporary Political Ideologies Handout) • Radical • Liberal • Neoliberal • Moderate • Conservative • Neoconservative • Religious Conservative • Reactionary

22. Potential Problems with Ideological Spectrum • People don’t have consistent views • Political scientists have identified cross cutting cleavages that make identifying with a pure ideology more difficult • Economic • Civil Rights • Public and political conduct • Libertarians fiscally conservative, socially liberal • Populists fiscally liberal, socially conservative

23. Helpful Websites • http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm (to see how ideology lines up with current political parties) • http://typology.people-press.org/typology/ (find out what your ideology is)