Many American citizens’ first experience with democracy is a school election, sometimes as early as in elementary school.

Political scientists use the term political culture to refer to the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms citizens hold about their relationship to government and to one another.

American political culture centers on democratic values.

Defining the American Political Culture

• Students should identify the most important elements of and sources for the American political culture.

Shared Values

•Before the American and French Revolutions discussions about individual liberty, freedom, equality, private property, limited government, and popular consent were rare.

•The founders of our nation claimed that individuals have certain natural rights.

•During this same period the economic system was changing from a mercantile system to a free market system.

Defining the American Political Culture

The American Political CultureShared Values

Liberty

Equality

Individualism

Respect for the Common Person

Democratic Consensus

Justice and the Rule of Law

Nationalism, Optimism, and Idealism

The American Political Culture (continue)

The American Dream – a set of ideas holding that the U.S. is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work bring economic success

Political and Economic Change – political values are affected by historic and economic developments:

a. The Industrial Transformation

b. Development of large corporations

c. The Great Depression & the New Deal

d. The Global economy

Political Socialization

The way people acquire their political values.

Family members.

School and peers.

Media, especially television.

Religion.

Demographics: race, ethnicity, gender, age, and region.

Outside events.

Most Americans share all but one of the following values

a. Religion

b. Free enterprise

c. Big business

d. Free press

Americans for the most part do not believe in

a. pragmatism

b. free speech

c. active political participation

d. passive government

Americans do not believe in

a. self help

b. government regulations

c. socialism

d. a class system

Americans believe that this condition is necessary to make the system work.

a. unemployment

b. discrimination

c. education

d. uniformity of belief

The most important source of the American political culture is the

a. mass media

b. family

c. schools

d. church or synagogue

Political scientists believe that college attendance has which of the following socializing effects on young people?

a. College attendance makes people less likely to share their family’s political views.

b. College attendance makes young people more conservative.

c. College attendance has no effect on political knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs.

d. College attendance makes young people more liberal.

Political culture refers to shared

a. beliefs

b. values

c. norms

d. all of the above

The American dream consists of

a. enthusiasm for capitalism

b. competitive markets

c. equality of income

d. all of these

In the American system of values, the role of the government is to

a. serve the people

b. protect the nation

c. regulate markets

d. guarantee equality

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

Liberalism

• Contemporary Liberals1. Favor individual rights, rights to own

private property

2. Willing to have government intervention in the economy

3. Advocate equal access to social services & protections

4. Support Affirmative Action & equality of opportunity

5. Prefer tax rates that rise with income

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

• Criticisms of Liberalism

1. Rely too much on government solutions

2. Rely too much on higher taxes

3. Rely too much on bureaucracy

4. Undermine individual initiative, entrepreneurial spirit, self reliance, self help ethics the U.S. was founded on

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

Conservatism• Traditional Conservatives

1. Emphatically pro-business2. Against taxes

3. Oppose most trade, antitrust, and environmental regulations

4. Dispersed government power

5. Limited government services

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

• Social Conservatives (New Right)1. Less focused on economics

2. More focused on morality and lifestyle

3. Favor strong government action in

a. Protection of children from drugs & pornography

b. Limiting abortions

c. Defending freedom and American interests abroad

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

• Criticism of Conservatives1. Don’t want big government unless it

serves its needs or to counter social evils

2. Places too much faith on market economy

3. Tax cuts for the rich at the expense of bigger deficits for defense spending

4. Fail to endorse policies against racism and sexism

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

Environmentalism1. On social issues the so-called Green

movement is similar to liberal

a. Favor grassroots democracy

b. Favor social justice, feminism

c. Support equal opportunity, nonviolence, & respect for diversity

2. Emphasize the ecology & the environment

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

American Socialism1. Favor economic & governmental systems based on

public ownership2. Prefer expanded role of government3. Favor nationalization of certain industries4. Support public programs5. Support taxing the rich & reducing defense spending

American Communism: A political, social, & economic system in which land & capital are collectively owned & political power is exercised by the masses.

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

Libertarianism1. Cherish individual liberties

2. Favor sharp government limitationsa. Limit defense to national defense only and

all government regulations

3. Oppose all public programs

4. Favor extensive government spending cutsa. Support elimination of FBI, CIA, regulatory

commissions

b. Oppose participation in international bodies, i.e. United Nations

5. Resemble anarchism to some extent

A more radical brand of Conservatism has recently emerged called

a. Contemporary Liberals

b. Libertarians

c. New Right

d. Greens

Which one of the following groups wants the least government

a. Libertarians

b. Conservatives

c. Liberals

d. Socialists

Which group demands the most government

a. Greens

b. Conservatives

c. Liberals

d. Socialists

Those who favor expansion of government control over drinking, drugs, abortion, prayer, and life style are the

a. New Right

b. Conservatives

c. Liberals

d. Libertarians

Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government (continue)

A Word of Caution

•Political labels have different meanings.•Ideology both causes events and is affected by it. •Unlike in 2000 and 2004, the 2008 election produced a winner with a large enough majority in the popular vote and electoral college to claim a mandate.

The most important source of the American political culture is the

a. mass media

b. family

c. schools

d. church or synagogue

Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate Liberal

Male

Female

23%

24

20%

22

Conservative

39%

31

Sex

Race

White

Black

Asian

Hispanic

39

18

24

21

21

22

20 26 36

Undecided

18%

23

17

39

18

32202522

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate LiberalConservativeAge

18-34

35-45

46-55

56-64

26%

36

37

38

45

24%

26

23

21

18

28%

16

17

26

16

Religion

Protestant

Undecided

23%

20

20

15

15

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate LiberalConservative

Religion

Catholic

Jewish

Education

31%

26

25

29

38

28%

12

20

27

25

18

63

14

11

22

Less than high school

High school diploma

Some college

Undecided

23%

0

42

33

15

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

Differences in Political IdeologyDifferences in Political IdeologyModerate LiberalConservative

Education

42%

45

13

14

21%

14

27

35

32%

39

37

11

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree

Party

Democrat

Independent

70 15 5Republican 11

Undecided

40

23

3

5%

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008, American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior.

Political Ideology &the American People

1. Ideology has economic, social/lifestyle, environmental, civil rights/civil liberties, and foreign/defense policy dimensions.

2. In the United States, most people are moderates or report not knowing whether they are liberal or conservative.

3. The absence of widespread and solidified liberal and conservative positions in the United States makes for politics and policymaking processes that are markedly different from those in most nations.

Political Ideology &the American People

4. Policy making in this country is characterized more by ad hoc coalitions than by fixed alignments that pit one set of ideologies against another.

5. This does not mean that policies or ideas are not important in American politics.

6. Ideologies have consequences.