Political Culture Political Culture and Ideologyand Ideology

Political CulturePolitical Culture The widely shared beliefs, values, The widely shared beliefs, values,

and norms about how citizens relate and norms about how citizens relate to government and to one anotherto government and to one another

Characteristics of a Political Culture

Who participates in political Who participates in political decisionsdecisions

What rights and liberties do What rights and liberties do citizens havecitizens have

How political decisions are madeHow political decisions are madeWhat people think about politicians What people think about politicians

and governmentand government

Social CapitalSocial Capital

Democratic and civic habits of Democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and discussion, compromise, and respect for differences which respect for differences which grow out of participation in grow out of participation in voluntary organizationsvoluntary organizations

Is Social Capital in decline?Is Social Capital in decline?

Shared American Shared American Political valuesPolitical values LibertyLiberty

EqualityEquality Political Equality and equal Political Equality and equal

opportunityopportunity IndividualismIndividualism Respect for the Common PersonRespect for the Common Person Democratic CensusDemocratic Census

Majority Rule, Minority Rights, Majority Rule, Minority Rights, Popular SoveriegntyPopular Soveriegnty

Shared American Shared American Political valuesPolitical values

Patriotism, Optimism, and IdealismPatriotism, Optimism, and Idealism Justice and Rule of Law (5 parts)Justice and Rule of Law (5 parts)

GeneralityGenerality ProspectivityProspectivity PublicityPublicity AuthorityAuthority Due ProcessDue Process

Where do we learn political Where do we learn political Culture?Culture?

FamiliesFamiliesPublic SchoolPublic SchoolCollegeCollegeReligious InstitutionsReligious InstitutionsMass MediaMass Media

The American DreamThe American Dream The widespread belief that America is The widespread belief that America is

a land of opportunity and that a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can individual initiative and hard work can bring economic successbring economic success

Factors that fuel the American DreamFactors that fuel the American Dream Capitalism, Ownership of private Capitalism, Ownership of private

propertyproperty Is the dream a reality or myth?Is the dream a reality or myth?

Political ideologyPolitical ideology

A consistent pattern of beliefs A consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role about political values and the role of governmentof government

Includes the views people have Includes the views people have about how government should about how government should work and how it actually workswork and how it actually works

1818thth and 19 and 19thth century century LiberalismLiberalism

Classical liberals fought to Classical liberals fought to minimize the role of governmentminimize the role of government

Stressed individual rightsStressed individual rightsFavored limited governmentFavored limited governmentProtect people from government Protect people from government

harassmentharassment

Contemporary LiberalsContemporary Liberals Believe that government can bring about Believe that government can bring about

justice and equality of opportunityjustice and equality of opportunity Want to preserve the rights of individuals Want to preserve the rights of individuals

but believe government intervention is but believe government intervention is necessary to off set the effects of necessary to off set the effects of capitalismcapitalism

Believe in the probability of progressBelieve in the probability of progress Consider equality of opportunity Consider equality of opportunity

essential to all Americansessential to all Americans

Liberal ViewpointsLiberal ViewpointsEqual access to healthcare, Equal access to healthcare,

housing, and education for all housing, and education for all citizenscitizens

Believe in Affirmative ActionBelieve in Affirmative ActionTax rates rise with incomeTax rates rise with incomeWorkers rightsWorkers rights

Criticisms of LiberalismCriticisms of Liberalism Rely too much on governmentRely too much on government High TaxesHigh Taxes Too many government regulations hinder Too many government regulations hinder

the “self help ethic” of the USthe “self help ethic” of the US Lack of moralityLack of morality Destroy the individual initiative, the Destroy the individual initiative, the

entrepreneurial sprit and economic growth entrepreneurial sprit and economic growth that’s leads to true economic opportunitythat’s leads to true economic opportunity

ConservatismConservatism A belief that limited government ensures A belief that limited government ensures

order, competitive markets, and personal order, competitive markets, and personal opportunityopportunity

Belief in private property rights and free Belief in private property rights and free enterpriseenterprise

Want to keep government small and Want to keep government small and military largemilitary large

Primary task of government is to keep Primary task of government is to keep order and people need strong leadership, order and people need strong leadership, firm laws, and strict moral codesfirm laws, and strict moral codes

Traditional ConservativesTraditional Conservatives

Sole function of government should be toSole function of government should be to Protect the nation from foreign enemiesProtect the nation from foreign enemies Preserve law and orderPreserve law and order Enforce private contractsEnforce private contracts Foster competitive marketsFoster competitive markets Encourage free and fair tradeEncourage free and fair trade Promote family valuesPromote family values

Pro-business, favor tax cuts, minimum Pro-business, favor tax cuts, minimum regulations in business, trade, anti-trust, regulations in business, trade, anti-trust, and environment and environment

Social ConservativesSocial Conservatives Focuses less on economics and more on Focuses less on economics and more on

lifestyle and morality (Christian Right, lifestyle and morality (Christian Right, Radical Right)Radical Right)

Strong government action to protect Strong government action to protect children from pornography and drugschildren from pornography and drugs

Want to overturn judicial rulings that favor Want to overturn judicial rulings that favor abortion, same sex marriages, and abortion, same sex marriages, and affirmative action programsaffirmative action programs

Critics of ConservatismCritics of Conservatism Hypocritical – only supports government Hypocritical – only supports government

when it benefits themwhen it benefits them School vouchers, prescription drug plansSchool vouchers, prescription drug plans Favors big businesses rights over the Favors big businesses rights over the

rights of employees and consumer rights of employees and consumer activistsactivists

Endorses policies that promote racism, Endorses policies that promote racism, sexism, and intolerancesexism, and intolerance

SocialismSocialism An economic and governmental system An economic and governmental system

based on public ownership of the means based on public ownership of the means of production and changeof production and change

Founded by Germen philosopher Karl Founded by Germen philosopher Karl MarxMarx

Pros – No poverty, Welfare of citizens Pros – No poverty, Welfare of citizens taken care of, stable economytaken care of, stable economy

Cons – No freedoms, no private property, Cons – No freedoms, no private property,

LibertarianismLibertarianism Ideology that cherished individual liberty Ideology that cherished individual liberty

and insists on minimal government, and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in moral, economic, absence of regulation in moral, economic, and social lifeand social life

Oppose almost all government regulations Oppose almost all government regulations and programs and programs

2000 Libertarian Platform2000 Libertarian Platform

Immediate and complete removal of Immediate and complete removal of federal government from education, federal government from education, energy, regulation, crime control, welfare, energy, regulation, crime control, welfare, housing, transportation, health care, and housing, transportation, health care, and agricultureagriculture

Repeal income tax, other direct taxes, Repeal income tax, other direct taxes, decriminalization of drugs and pardons for decriminalization of drugs and pardons for prisoners convicted of non-violent drug prisoners convicted of non-violent drug offensesoffenses