Alexis de Tocqueville’sAlexis de Tocqueville’sReasons for U.S. Reasons for U.S.

DemocracyDemocracy No feudal aristocracy, minimal taxes, No feudal aristocracy, minimal taxes,

few legal restraintsfew legal restraints Westward movement provided vast, Westward movement provided vast,

cheap land and opportunitycheap land and opportunity Nation of small independent farmersNation of small independent farmers Political culturePolitical culture

American Political CultureAmerican Political Culture

Def’n: A patterned set of ways of thinking about how Def’n: A patterned set of ways of thinking about how politics and governing ought to be carried outpolitics and governing ought to be carried out

We take it for granted—ex. Peaceful transfer of powerWe take it for granted—ex. Peaceful transfer of power Not the same as Not the same as political IDEOLOGY—consistent sets of political IDEOLOGY—consistent sets of

views as to the policies government ought to pursueviews as to the policies government ought to pursue 5 important elements: 5 important elements: Liberty, Equality, Democracy, Liberty, Equality, Democracy,

Civic Duty, Individual responsibilityCivic Duty, Individual responsibility Americans are more willing to tolerate economic Americans are more willing to tolerate economic

inequality than political inequalityinequality than political inequality Regions can have subcultures—American South differs Regions can have subcultures—American South differs

from NE…south more conservativefrom NE…south more conservative Political culture can be consensual or conflictual. Political culture can be consensual or conflictual.

Consensual cultures come to compromises—conflictual Consensual cultures come to compromises—conflictual ones come to blowsones come to blows

Questions of Political Questions of Political CultureCulture

How do we know that people share these beliefs?How do we know that people share these beliefs? Public Public opinion polls, speeches, etc. Talk of “un-Americanism”opinion polls, speeches, etc. Talk of “un-Americanism”

How can we account for inconsistent behavior?How can we account for inconsistent behavior? (Civil (Civil Rights took a long time)?--beliefs contradict one another Rights took a long time)?--beliefs contradict one another and are not consistently prioritized and are not consistently prioritized

Why are Americans eager to claim that they are tolerant Why are Americans eager to claim that they are tolerant and agree in principle with freedom of speech, religion, and agree in principle with freedom of speech, religion, etc., yet in actual practice they are not as politically etc., yet in actual practice they are not as politically tolerant as they claim to be?tolerant as they claim to be? Priorities change. Priorities change.

Why so much political conflict?Why so much political conflict? Priorities change; Priorities change; generally very little on foreign policy (Iraq ’03 a big generally very little on foreign policy (Iraq ’03 a big exception). Democracies also value debate. Debate about exception). Democracies also value debate. Debate about how “consensual” American politics has been historicallyhow “consensual” American politics has been historically

Comparing American Comparing American Political Culture to the Political Culture to the

WorldWorld Swedes: Favor equal pay, economic equality with Swedes: Favor equal pay, economic equality with

earnings cap. Americans: hard work should be earnings cap. Americans: hard work should be rewarded. Swedes also defer to technical experts, rewarded. Swedes also defer to technical experts, don’t sue, believe in “what is best” and value harmonydon’t sue, believe in “what is best” and value harmony

Japanese favor good relations with colleagues and Japanese favor good relations with colleagues and respect hierarchyrespect hierarchy

Civic Duty: Almond/Verba study shows US/UK citizens Civic Duty: Almond/Verba study shows US/UK citizens have more sense of civic duty (1959-60), even though have more sense of civic duty (1959-60), even though Americans don’t vote as regularly as EuropeansAmericans don’t vote as regularly as Europeans

Americans more willing to fight for the countryAmericans more willing to fight for the country Religion: Americans much more religious than Religion: Americans much more religious than

Europeans—this shows up in politicsEuropeans—this shows up in politics Both liberals and conservatives use the pulpit for Both liberals and conservatives use the pulpit for

politics (Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Pat Robertson)politics (Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Pat Robertson)

Sources of Political Sources of Political CultureCulture

Historical rootsHistorical roots Legal-sociological factorsLegal-sociological factors The Culture WarThe Culture War

Historical Sources of Political Historical Sources of Political CultureCulture

American Revolution essentially American Revolution essentially over libertyover liberty

Long-standing distrust of powerLong-standing distrust of power Constitution encourages Constitution encourages

participation, reconciles personal participation, reconciles personal liberty with need for social controlliberty with need for social control

Adversarial culture Adversarial culture Transition of 1800: Reconciled Transition of 1800: Reconciled

need and suspicion of government, need and suspicion of government, legitimated “loyal opposition”legitimated “loyal opposition”

Legal-Sociological Sources Legal-Sociological Sources of Political Cultureof Political Culture

Widespread, but not universal participation Widespread, but not universal participation permitted by Constitutionpermitted by Constitution

Religious tradition a source of cleavagesReligious tradition a source of cleavages Protestant “work ethic”: Work, save money, Protestant “work ethic”: Work, save money,

obey law, do good worksobey law, do good works Churches are politicalChurches are political Family unit—greater freedom of children leads Family unit—greater freedom of children leads

t belief in rights/acceptance of diverse viewst belief in rights/acceptance of diverse views Absence of Class Consciousness: Most Absence of Class Consciousness: Most

Americans consider themselves “middle class”Americans consider themselves “middle class” Belief that you can get ahead by working hardBelief that you can get ahead by working hard

Culture WarCulture War

Culture War between Orthodox (God gives fixed moral Culture War between Orthodox (God gives fixed moral rules) and Progressive (believe personal freedom more rules) and Progressive (believe personal freedom more important)important)

More Progressives than beforeMore Progressives than before Rise of technology (particularly among young) makes Rise of technology (particularly among young) makes

mobilization easiermobilization easier Low degree of tolerance for divergent viewsLow degree of tolerance for divergent views Battle over values, not moneyBattle over values, not money This makes compromise almost impossibleThis makes compromise almost impossible Conflict is more profoundConflict is more profound Different standards of public and private moralityDifferent standards of public and private morality Affects people’s trust of government and political Affects people’s trust of government and political

efficacyefficacy War War between and withinbetween and within religious denominationsreligious denominations

Political EfficacyPolitical Efficacy

Political Efficacy—a citizen’s capacity to Political Efficacy—a citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political eventsunderstand and influence political events

2 parts---2 parts--- Internal efficacy—confidence in one’s own Internal efficacy—confidence in one’s own

ability to understand and take part in ability to understand and take part in politics. Remained stable over past few politics. Remained stable over past few decades.decades.

External efficacy—a belief that the system External efficacy—a belief that the system will respond to what individuals do. Sharp will respond to what individuals do. Sharp decreases over the past few decadesdecreases over the past few decades

American efficacy higher than EuropeansAmerican efficacy higher than Europeans

Mistrust of GovernmentMistrust of Government

Mistrust of leaders—NOT system. This is historically the Mistrust of leaders—NOT system. This is historically the norm.norm.

Evident since 1960sEvident since 1960s Jimmy Carter “Malaise” speech in 1979Jimmy Carter “Malaise” speech in 1979 Polls showed people trust government less to do “what’s Polls showed people trust government less to do “what’s

right”right” Diminished trust in Presidency/Congress, less so in Supreme Diminished trust in Presidency/Congress, less so in Supreme

Court (changing)Court (changing) Increased trust in state/local governmentIncreased trust in state/local government Causes: Watergate, Vietnam (but don’t fully explain)Causes: Watergate, Vietnam (but don’t fully explain) Most Americans support rights in principle…but not in Most Americans support rights in principle…but not in

concrete situationsconcrete situations Even so, most willing to tolerate divergent views, allow Even so, most willing to tolerate divergent views, allow

expressionexpression Unpopular groups survive: Most don’t act on beliefs, Unpopular groups survive: Most don’t act on beliefs,

officeholders more tolerant than general public, Courts officeholders more tolerant than general public, Courts insulated from public opinioninsulated from public opinion

Ch. 4 Learning Ch. 4 Learning ObjectivesObjectives

After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter the After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter the student should be able to do each of the following:student should be able to do each of the following:

1.1. Define what scholars mean by political culture, and list Define what scholars mean by political culture, and list some of the dominant aspects of political culture in the United some of the dominant aspects of political culture in the United States.States.

2.2. Discuss how American citizens compare with those of Discuss how American citizens compare with those of other countries in their political attitudes.other countries in their political attitudes.

3.3. List the contributions to United States political culture List the contributions to United States political culture made by the Revolution, by the nation’s religious heritages, and made by the Revolution, by the nation’s religious heritages, and by the family. Explain the apparent absence of class by the family. Explain the apparent absence of class consciousness in the U.S.consciousness in the U.S.

4.4. Define internal and external political efficacy, and explain Define internal and external political efficacy, and explain how the level of each of these has varied over the past how the level of each of these has varied over the past generations.generations.