American Political Culture

Wilson Chapter 4

AP Government

What is Political Culture?

• The widely-shared beliefs, values, and norms that citizens share about their government

• A distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out.

CHARACTERISTICS• Liberty• Rugged individualism (is this always the case?)• Equality

– Opportunity more than result– Political more than economic equality– American Dream– FDR’s second bill of rights– Conflict between liberty ( capitalism) and equality

(democracy): Progressive Era; New Deal; Great Society

CHARACTERISTICS• Democracy• Civic Duty (but we don’t know much about

political affairs)• Mistrust of Government (since 1960s)• Political Efficacy-capacity to understand

(individual) and influence (external) political events.

• Political tolerance- in the abstract vs. concrete• Pragmatism - we’re less ideological• Justice- “government of laws, not men”

More on Justice…

• Policies and laws that adhere to the rule of law must adhere to these rules:– Generality– Prospectivity (apply to the future)– Publicity (cannot be secret)– Authority– Due Process

Sources of Political Culture• History• Religion• Family

What has shaped your political identity and culture?

Culture War• Cultural clash over values vs. economic clash over

wealth– Orthodox (morality)– Progressive (personal freedom)– Clash over: abortion, gay rights, drug use, school

prayer and pornography.

How is this war different than political disputes?Why has this war grown in recent years?

Mistrust of Government• The “American Malaise” - crisis of

confidence evident in Americans’ growing disrespect for government, schools, churches, and institutions.– Jimmy Carter

Why don’t we trust our government? What don’t we trust about it?

America vs. the World• Swedes - deferential in nature; harmony; equality

in results more important than equality in opportunity

• Japanese - Respect authority; group decisions• British- sense of civic duty; rectify unjust laws• Americans- strong sense of religion in politics

IS THE U.S. REALLY APATHETIC?