American Political CultureAmerican Political Culture

Why don’t people shoot George W. Why don’t people shoot George W. Bush?Bush?

Why do we pay taxes?Why do we pay taxes? Why don’t we take to the streets of Why don’t we take to the streets of

Seattle to protest Microsoft?Seattle to protest Microsoft?

Definition of Political Definition of Political CultureCulture

a set of norms, beliefs, traditions, a set of norms, beliefs, traditions, and values oriented toward the and values oriented toward the political system that are for the political system that are for the most part shared by the society most part shared by the society and are relatively unique to a and are relatively unique to a political systempolitical system

Tenets of Classical Tenets of Classical LiberalismLiberalism

Individual have natural rights Individual have natural rights Individuals are equal under the law Individuals are equal under the law Government should be limited Government should be limited Government's #1 purpose is to Government's #1 purpose is to

serve individuals serve individuals

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

All men are created equalAll men are created equal Endowed with certain inalienable Endowed with certain inalienable

rights, life liberty pursuit of rights, life liberty pursuit of happinesshappiness

Government derives “their just Government derives “their just powers from the consent of the powers from the consent of the governedgoverned

Quick SurveyQuick Survey

1.1. It is the responsibility of the state to take It is the responsibility of the state to take care of poor people who can’t take care of care of poor people who can’t take care of themselves. themselves.

2.2. People like me and my family have a good People like me and my family have a good chance of improving our standard of living. chance of improving our standard of living.

3.3. Govt should reduce income inequality.Govt should reduce income inequality.4.4. Government should provide all Americans Government should provide all Americans

with a guaranteed income.with a guaranteed income.5.5. Luck is more important than hard work in Luck is more important than hard work in

getting ahead.getting ahead.

LibertyLiberty

Americans emphasize individual Americans emphasize individual responsibilityresponsibility

People believe hard work pays offPeople believe hard work pays off

Percentages saying they completely agree with the statement: "It is the responsibility of the state to

take care of very poor people who can't take care of themselves."

0 20 40 60 80

US

Hungary

France

Italy

Bulgaria

Series1

Percentage saying they agree with the statement: "The way things are in my country, people like me

and my family have a good chance of improving our standard of living."

7261

45 40 37 36

020406080

% of people by income group who agree that 1. govt should reduce income inequality, 2. provide a guar.

income, 3. Luck>hard work in getting ahead

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 2 3

$12k <

$12-40k

$40k+

80

66 6553

4839

6958

66

43 48

34

0102030405060708090

Italy Germany Britain Sweden Canada UnitedStates

Government Should reduce income inequality (% agreeing)

Government shuld guarantee a basic income (% agreeing)

82 8165 64 61

44 4329

0102030405060708090

Italy

Austri

a

Nether

lands

Britain

Germ

any

Austra

lia

Switzer

land

United S

tate

s

It is the responsibility of government to reduce the differences in income betweenpeople with high incomes and those with low incomes (% who agree)

7166 62 62

45

23

01020304050607080

Spain Italy Britain France Germany UnitedStates

It is the responsibility of the government to take care of very poor people whocannot take care of themselves (% who complete agree)

EqualityEquality

Americans have a strong commitment Americans have a strong commitment to legal, social and political equality.to legal, social and political equality.

Not equality of outcomesNot equality of outcomes or economic or economic equalityequality

Public Support for Affirmative ActionPublic Support for Affirmative Action Equality more of a “contested” Equality more of a “contested”

conceptconcept

I’m a liberal, you’re a liberal, I’m a liberal, you’re a liberal, wouldn’t you like to be a liberal wouldn’t you like to be a liberal too?too?

LiberalismLiberalism Individual liberty is primaryIndividual liberty is primary Government should be limitedGovernment should be limited

Conservatives/Liberals, R/Ds agreeConservatives/Liberals, R/Ds agree Debate over when government should Debate over when government should

intervene in private affairsintervene in private affairs Liberals- lower standard on economic issuesLiberals- lower standard on economic issues Conservatives- lower standard on social Conservatives- lower standard on social

issuesissues

Traditional ExplanationsTraditional Explanations

no feudal aristocracy—no landed no feudal aristocracy—no landed aristocracy to provide a aristocracy to provide a conservative viewconservative view

minimal taxesminimal taxes few legal restraintsfew legal restraints frontier provides opportunities—frontier provides opportunities—

easy for ambitious individuals to easy for ambitious individuals to succeedsucceed

nation of small indep farmersnation of small indep farmers

Tocqueville’s VisionTocqueville’s Vision

Frontier and widespread property Frontier and widespread property ownershipownership

Life characterized by atomistic social Life characterized by atomistic social freedom freedom

Do not need strong state or class Do not need strong state or class movement to create upward mobilitymovement to create upward mobility

New world creates faith in New world creates faith in individualismindividualism

Other theoriesOther theories

Limited governmentLimited government Self-selectionSelf-selection SocializationSocialization Bias of capitalismBias of capitalism

Total Govt Outlays as a Percentage of GDP

34

.7

26

.8

36

.2

44

.4

38

.5 43

.7 48

.4

41

.6

43

.4 48

.4

36

.7

31

.6

39

.5 44 45

.3 49

.2

47 5

0.9

52

.1

63

.3

33

.3 35

.6 40

.8 43

.4 46

.2 48

.7

49

.5 51

.9

53

.7

66

.2

303540455055606570

Un

ited

Sta

tes

Jap

an

All

OE

CD

Na

tion

s

Bri

tain

Ca

nd

a

Eu

rop

ea

nO

EC

Dn

atio

ns

Ge

rma

ny

Italy

Fra

nce

Sw

ed

en

1975 1985 1995

Values Shape Policy Values Shape Policy OutcomesOutcomes

Social Expenditures in Some OECD Countries

13.1 14.3

18 17.5

24.6

21.2

24.7

12.414.4

16.9

20.222

26.3 26.7

10

15

20

25

30

UnitedStates

Japan Britain Canada Germany Italy France

1980 1990

7064 62 60

52 5147

41

30354045505560657075

United S

tate

s

Austra

liaIta

ly

Nether

lands

Germ

any

Switzer

land

Austri

a

United K

ingdom

% who agree that taxes are much too high or too high

Values Shape Policy Values Shape Policy OutcomesOutcomes

Clinton Health Care PlanClinton Health Care Plan large government operationlarge government operation remove control from the marketremove control from the market restrict the choices of individuals restrict the choices of individuals Promote equality of outcomesPromote equality of outcomes

Program conflicted with basic valuesProgram conflicted with basic values--Bush Social Security Privativation--Bush Social Security Privativation

Public Support for Greater Govt Public Support for Greater Govt Role in Health Care IndustryRole in Health Care Industry

80%74%

67% 63% 66.70%61.30%

75%

0%10%

20%30%

40%50%

60%70%

80%90%

1937 1942 1961 1965 1976 1978 1992

% expressing support for increasing government role in health care delivery*