US Political Culture

1. Government and Politics of the USA Lecture 5: US Political Culture Dr Simon Boucher ~ bouches@tcd.ie

2. Required reading… McKay chap 2 Singh chap 2 Additional resources… Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America Louis Hartz, The Liberal Tradition in America Roger Smith, “Beyond Tocqueville, Myrdal and Hartz: The Multiple Traditions in America”. APSR 87.3, Sept 1993 John Kenneth Galbraith, The Culture of Contentment Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone Plus see the course website… http://uspoliticstcd.pbwiki.com/FrontPage Readings for today

3. What is political culture? Basic values of US political culture Additional influences on US political culture “American exceptionalism” Agenda

4. Beliefs and values about how… Government Political and Economic… What is “political culture”? "The orientation of the citizens of a nation toward politics, their perceptions of political legitimacy and the traditions of political practice." …Life should be carried out within a state

5. Formed by socialisation Parents - Friends - School Work - Media - Religion What happens when political culture greatly diverges from political institutions? Regime change Country fragments How is political culture formed? Often independent of political authority

6. Most commentators agree the foundations of US political culture Liberty Equality Individualism Democracy The rule of law under the Constitution Basics of US Political Culture In the US, the political culture typically supports and reinforces the political system: “It has been our fate as a nation not to have ideologies, but to be one” (Richard Hofstadter)

7. Most commentators agree the foundations of US political culture… Basics of US Political Culture In the US, the political culture typically supports and reinforces the political system: “It has been our fate as a nation not to have ideologies, but to be one” (Richard Hofstadter) Democracy Liberty Equality Rule of law Individualism

8. Tends to be felt stronger by elites Tends to be more general than specific Has clearly increased in last 50 years Liberal attitudes stronger in certain regions Antipathy remains to certain non-American values Islam Big brother-state Liberty

9. Americans have… Equality of estimation Equality of opportunity Equality before the law But… Dialogue of equality masks considerable de facto economic inequality Equality

10. “Americanism” characterised by stress on individual rather than collective action… Individualism • “Self-reliant roots in Puritanism • Collectivist political parties absent • Trade union membership low • Public antipathy to welfare dependence • Reinforced by the success of capitalism But economic individualism doesn’t automatically imply cultural individualism

11. Americans devoted to majoritarianism Election legitimacy usually accepted Belief in Constitution and the rule of law General admiration for the US system; system remains relatively stable Differences over the system accommodated without challenging order Democracy and the rule of law

12. Americans’ distinctive views on… Liberty Equality Individualism Democracy The rule of law under the Constitution The concept of “Americanism” Collectively form a political culture known as “Americanism”. • Devotion to Americanism is striking • Ideological consensus on key points supported by virtually all social and political groups

13. Immigration Social structure Race and ethnicity Religion Other influences upon US political culture

14. America is built on an “ideology of immigration” …Population has grown 20% per decade until 1920 10% per decade since 1920 12 million immigrants in 1990s Frequently caps and restrictions placed on immigrants over US history Immigration has become increasingly controversial due to illegal immigration Bush’s attempted to address it failed spectacularly Immigration HOWEVER

15. Traditionally America has been essentially middle class, eschewing both working class and aristocratic values 2002: 45% of American workers in professional, technical, managerial or administrative jobs Highly educated society High level of home and stock ownership Home of the middle class? HOWEVER • US history NOT free from class conflict • Distribution of American wealth and income highly unequal • Some groups in society actually getting poorer

16. US has a highly diverse ethnic composition African, Hispanic and Asian groups remain particularly distinctive Race issues clearly important, but almost always with context of established institutions and political parties Race and ethnicity

17. America is a highly religious country Multiplicity of religions Traditionally, religion not a source of major social division Christian right has est. considerable political influence in last 20 years Faith-related issues increasingly controversial “War on terror” a “war on Islam”? Religion HOWEVER • Political success of religious right mixed • Influence over-exaggerated?

18. Components of US political culture Immigration Liberty Individualism The American Dream Equality Religion Democracy Social structure Race American Exceptionalism?

19. A prevailing assumption that the US is unique… Historical evolution Ethnic diversity Absence of class politics Based upon ideals, not ethnicity Sophistication of Constitutional system … And superior? “Manifest destiny” Social mobility Economic and military power Moral superiority- above international law …As long as Americans believe it, it doesn’t matter whether it is true or not American “Exceptionalism”

20. 4-5pm this week: Dr Bill McSweeney Read class material 2 journalistic articles; 10 pages Prepare questions Come ready to participate Weeks 4 & 5: No lectures, essay titles announced Week 6: lectures AND tutorials Federalism The Republican Presidential candidates The coming weeks

21. 2 tutorial groups: Group A on Tuesdays @ 4pm in 3020 Group B on Thursdays @ 11am in 4046 Sign up to a tutorial group by emailing Jane (suiterj@tcd.ie) Places on first-come, first served basis Once you sign up to a group please stick to it Two Michaelmas term tutorials in weeks 6 and 8 Tutorial groups reminder