Political Culture and Socialization

Political Culture and Socialization

MEXICO MEXICO

SYSYEM FUNCTIONS of the Political System

SYSYEM FUNCTIONS of the Political System

Political Culture: Supportive Political Culture: Supportive Mexicans are

highly supportive of the political institutions that evolved from the Mexican Revolution

Endorse the democratic principles of the Constitution of 1917

Mexicans are highly supportive of the political institutions that evolved from the Mexican Revolution

Endorse the democratic principles of the Constitution of 1917

Political Culture: not supportive

Political Culture: not supportive

Critical of government performance

Pessimistic about their ability to affect election outcomes

Critical of government performance

Pessimistic about their ability to affect election outcomes

Growing distrust of Congress and the political parties

Growing distrust of Congress and the political parties

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION

Direct and indirect process of learning

Formative years of primary importance

Continuance throughout life

Direct and indirect process of learning

Formative years of primary importance

Continuance throughout life

Agents of Political Socialization: Early Influences

Agents of Political Socialization: Early Influences

Family – Mexico: Loyalty highly valued

School – Mexico: secular schools Religious institutions

Roman Catholic constrained Protestant used to balance

dominant Catholic ethos Peer groups

Family – Mexico: Loyalty highly valued

School – Mexico: secular schools Religious institutions

Roman Catholic constrained Protestant used to balance

dominant Catholic ethos Peer groups

Adult Political Socialization: MEXICO

Adult Political Socialization: MEXICO

Personal encounters with government functionaries and the police Violence Drugs Employment Corruption

Personal encounters with government functionaries and the police Violence Drugs Employment Corruption

Adult Political Socialization: MEXICO

Proliferation of popular movements

Mass media Print media Television

Adult Political Socialization: MEXICO

Proliferation of popular movements

Mass media Print media Television

Political Socialization through political

participation

Political Socialization through political

participation Political participation is of two broad

types: Ritualistic, regime-supportive activities

Voting and attending campaign rallies, for example

Petitioning or contacting of public officials to influence the allocation of some public good or service By law voting is obligatory Voting turnout Closeness of 2006 presidential vote

Political participation is of two broad types: Ritualistic, regime-supportive activities

Voting and attending campaign rallies, for example

Petitioning or contacting of public officials to influence the allocation of some public good or service By law voting is obligatory Voting turnout Closeness of 2006 presidential vote

Trends in Contemporary Mexican Political Culture Trends in Contemporary

Mexican Political Culture

Derive from environmental conditions and exposure to the historic events

The trends Modernization

Parochial decreasing Still many “subjects” More participatory

Post-modern values in urban middle class Self-determination & nationalism Violence – a failed state? Pull between economic advantages of NAFTA and

cultural affinity with the rest of Latin America

Derive from environmental conditions and exposure to the historic events

The trends Modernization

Parochial decreasing Still many “subjects” More participatory

Post-modern values in urban middle class Self-determination & nationalism Violence – a failed state? Pull between economic advantages of NAFTA and

cultural affinity with the rest of Latin America

Recruiting the Political Elite: (Activity inside of the System Function )

Recruiting the Political Elite: (Activity inside of the System Function ) Who becomes one of Mexico’s political elite?

Recruited predominantly from the middle class 1982-2000 mostly people born or raised in Mexico

City Postgraduate education, especially at elite foreign

universities and in disciplines such as economics and public administration

Vincente Fox favored persons with nongovernmental experience and who had no political party affiliation.

Calderon had an MA in economics and public administration (latter from Harvard) and had extensive party experience.

Kinship ties Political inbreeding?

Who becomes one of Mexico’s political elite? Recruited predominantly from the middle class 1982-2000 mostly people born or raised in Mexico

City Postgraduate education, especially at elite foreign

universities and in disciplines such as economics and public administration

Vincente Fox favored persons with nongovernmental experience and who had no political party affiliation.

Calderon had an MA in economics and public administration (latter from Harvard) and had extensive party experience.

Kinship ties Political inbreeding?

Keep in Mind Keep in Mind

POLITICAL CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION ARE DYNAMIC, NOT STATIC PHENOMENON

POLITICAL CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION ARE DYNAMIC, NOT STATIC PHENOMENON