Andrew Martin

University of Kentucky

American Political Culture

What is political culture?

•Political culture is a collection of beliefs and values about government.

Misconceptions about American Culture

• John Jay wrote in Federalist No. 2 that Americans were “one united people; a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language.”

Religious diversity

• Not all early Americans had same religious affiliations:

• New England – Puritans• Virginia – Church of England• Maryland – Catholics• Pennsylvania – Quakers

Ethnic diversity

• As of 1763, only 50 percent of the colonial population was English.

• 20 percent was African-American• Others groups were Dutch, French,

Spanish, German, Scandinavian, Belgian and Swiss.

U.S. Immigration

Source: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (2004)

U.S. Immigration

• An immigration law passed in 1917 required a literacy test that favored English speakers.

• Series of laws passed during the 1920s restricted immigration, explicitly favored immigrants from Northern, Western Europe.

• 35 million immigrated to U.S. by the 1920s

Immigration Today

• Immigrants are competing with citizens for scarce lower-skilled jobs.

• Different levels of government share burdens and benefits differently

• More immigration adds to environmental problems

• Favored immigrants more likely to “become a public charge”

Source: Textbook, p. 20

American Political Culture

• If the United States is marred by religious and ethnic differences, what holds the country together?

American Political Culture

• Ethnicity and religion do not define American political culture.

• American political culture is defined by a set of shared ideas concerning how a society should be governed.

• These ideas are usually described as “individualist”

American Political Culture

• Classical liberalism Classical liberalism is a belief in is a belief in freedom, individualism, equality, and freedom, individualism, equality, and small government small government

• Civic republicanismCivic republicanism argues that argues that freedom comes from community freedom comes from community members working together for the members working together for the public god, not individuals.public god, not individuals.– Modern term is communitarianismModern term is communitarianism

Liberty vs. Equality

• Sometimes liberty and equality clash.

• On both social and economic issues, Americans must choose whether they want equality of opportunity or equality of results.

• Americans support equality of opportunity perhaps to a greater extent than any other country.

Liberty vs. Equality

• Contributing economic events:– The Industrial Revolution– The Great Depression

• Contributing social events:– The Civil War– The Civil Rights Struggle

Capitalism vs. Socialism

• The United States has a capitalist economic system, meaning individuals control own the means of production and the distribution of goods.

• In socialist systems, the government owns and controls key sectors of the economy, such as health care, transportation and heavy industry.

Taxes

Source: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (2004)

Individual Responsibility

Source: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (2004)

Individual Responsibility

Source: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (2004)

Individual Responsibility

Source: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (2004)

Individual Responsibility

Source: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss (2004)

What is ideology?

• Ideologies are systems of beliefs where one or more organizing principles inform an individual's views on a range of issues.

Ideology

• Two kinds of ideology:– Total ideology – Particular ideology

Ideology

• The total ideology most Americans adhere to is a Liberal political philosophy. – Emphasizes freedom, fairness and

individuality– This is not the same as modern liberalism

• Some Americans also endorse to a particular political philosophy– liberalism (in the modern sense) – conservatism– libertarianism

Libertarianism

• Libertarianism is most similar to the total ideology of Liberalism. – Individualism is central. Government

generally stays out of both social and economic issues.

– Small government that does little to regulate society and the economy is ideal.

Liberalism

• Liberals support an active government respecting economic issues but not social issues.– Supports economic regulation and

government programs meant to reduce inequality

– Opposes attempts to legislate morality (e.g. gay marriage, abortion)

Conservatives

• Conservatives support an active government respecting social issues but not economic issues.– Traditional morality, law and order– Laissez-faire economics– (Oppose regulation of business, gun

industry)