1. Unit IV: Political Culture and Participation

2. Overview of the Unit
A. What are the politically relevant cleavages and what effects do they have on political systems?
B. What are the interrelationships between institutions, political practices, and cleavages?
C. Theoretically and in practice what is the relationship between civil society and power?

3. D. What are the forms and efficacy of political action?
E. What are the political roles of media?
F. What are the operations and effects of the electoral and party systems?

4. I. Political Culture
Political Culture: collective political beliefs, values, practices, and institutions government is based on
Consensual political culture: accepts both the legitimacy of regime and solutions to major problems
Conflictual political culture: divided on legitimacy of the regime and solutions to major problems
**Political culture is in flux and can change from consensual to conflictual

5. II. Comparing Citizen and State Relationships
Attitudes and beliefs of citizens and political efficacy
Political socialization
Types of political participation
Voting behavior
Factors that influence political beliefs and behaviors
Level of transparency

6. III. Great Britain
Describe the evolution of political culture in Great Britain.

7. Identity and Political Culture in England
Social Cleavages:
Multi-national identities
Social class distinctions
Ethnic minorities

8. Multinational Identities
England: majority of population, disproportionate political power, challenge of integrating nationalities
Wales: Plaid Cymru, pride in their language and feelings of being exploited by their neighbors
Scotland: devolution and Scottish Parliament, strong national identity
Northern Ireland: Catholics feeling persecuted by Protestants

9. Social Class Distinctions
Difficult to distinguish on income alone, but in terms of solidarity
“Public schools”: prep for public life in military, civil service, or politics
Middle class attends private schools
Only 65% of British 17 year-olds are still in school, the lowest level of any industrialized democracy
Portal to elite class: Oxford or Cambridge (Oxbridge)

10. Ethnic Minorities: 7.1% of non-European origin (2001)
Indian: 23% of non-European population
Pakistani: 16%
Afro-Caribbean: 12.2%
Black African: 10.5%
*Most immigrants are under 25

12. Muslim Minorities: Distinct minority/majority cleavages
Social class differences of Muslims: British Muslim children of illiterate workers, have not felt integrated into British culture
Pakistani Muslims
Opposition to the Iraqi war: hostility toward Muslims
Lack of integration of minorities: feelings of being treated as 2nd class citizens

13. Political Participation:
Voting Behavior: 70% participation
Social Class
Regional factors

14. Political Parties
1. Labour
2. Lib. Dems
3.Conservative

15. Political Parties Other Parties Plaid Cymru (Wales)
Today: 15 of 60 seats in the Welsh Assembly
Scottish National Party (Sctoland)
Today: 47 of 129 seats in Scottish Assembly
Sinn Fein (political arm of the IRA)
Democratic Unionist Party (NI Prot. Clergy)
Two far right groups: British National Party and UK Independence Party

16. Elections: Plurality Election System
Winner-take-all
Single-member plurality or first-past-the-post
System often exaggerates the size of the victory
2005 Labour Party won 35.3% of votes and 356 out of 646 seats in Parliament
Elections for Regional Governments:
a. Proportional representation to meet needs of multiple parties

17. European Parliament Elections:
Directly elected to parliament institutions
Every 5 years, 72 members from UK
Campaign Financing
Shorter and less expensive than the US
Both parties were under investigation for not fully disclosing loans

18. Role of the Media British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Used to work to be respectful of government officials
Government strictly regulates the BBC (No ads may be sold to politicians, parties, or political causes)

19. IV. Russia Citizens, Society, and the State Cleavages: NATIONALITY:
Russian: 79.8%
Tatar: 3.8%
Ukrainian: 2%
Baskir: 1.2%
Chuvash: 1.1%
Other: 12.1%

20. Religion: Russian Orthodox: 15-20% Muslim: 10-15% (20 million people)
Moscow: laborers
The Caucasus
Bashkortostan and Tatarstan
Other Christian: 2%

21. Rich in Russia Rural/Urban
73% of Russians live in cities in western Russia
Economic divide is wide

22. Chechnya’s Hidden War

23. Political Participation:
Voting:
Soviet rule: close to 100% in non-competitive elections
Since 1991:
Duma elections: 2003 (56%), 2007 (64%)
Presidential elctions: 2004 (65%), 2007 (70%)

24. Civil Society:
Participation outside of voting is limited, civic group participation is low, but newspaper readership is high
Government limits on groups, especially those critical of the government
Russian Youth Groups: Nashi, Youth Guard, and Locals

25. Political Parties
Parties developed overnight and tend to revolve around a group of leaders making parties weak and fluid
United Russia:
Merger of Fatherland All-Russia and Unity Party
Party of Putin (formed in 2001)
Communist Party of the Russian Federation:
Support has decreased since 2000
Emphasize centralized planning and nationalism

26. Liberal Democrats Fair Russia: Misnamed party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Extremist nationalist party
Fair Russia:
a. Merger of Motherland People’s Patriotic Union with Party of Pensioners and the Party of Life

27. Reformist Parties Yabloko (Apple) Union of Right Forces
Strongest pro-democracy party
3rd in 2000 presidential election (5.8%)
2007 with election rule changes Yabloko lost all seats in the Duma
Union of Right Forces
“Right” as in understanding of the truth
Desire for greater free market and privatization of industry

28. Elections
Referendum: president can call national referenda by popular vote on important issues
Duma Elections:
450 seats, until /2 FPTP, 1/2 PR
2007, all single member districts eliminated
Must get 7% (raised from 5%) to get any seats
Goal was reduce the number of parties and make policymaking more efficient

29. Presidential Elections
Two round model, but only if there is not a clear majority
Putin in 2004 (71% of the vote), 2nd place only received 14%

30. V. China
Citizens, Society, and the State
Cleavages
Ethnic
Urban-Rural

31. Ethnic: Han Chinese (90%)
55 officially recognized minority groups (10%)
Autonomous areas: Tibet and Xinjiang comprise of 60% of China’s territory
Most minorities live in border regions
Autonomous regions have some self-government and cultural rights

33. Tibet Separate ethnic identity, never recognized Chinese authority
Tensions over the Dalai Lama
Global protest movements and the Olympic torch

34. Uyghurs Muslims of Turkish descent living in Xinjiang
Post 9-11 world Chinese are very concerned with Muslim dissidents
July 2009 Riots
a. Result of Uyghur dissatisfaction with the central Chinese gov’t. handling of death of two Uyghurs

35. Uyghurs in the News

36. Linguistic Diversity Mandarin Shanghainese (Cantonese)
2006 China rules required use of Mandarin in schools, media, or addresses to the public

37. Urban-Rural Cleavages
Most economic growth has occurred in the cities
Two China’s
Divide is economic and social
Wen Jiabao (2006) New Socialist Countryside program to lift rural economy

39. “Chinese authorities estimate that 22 million youngsters in China have been left at home while their parents migrate to cities to find work. The numbers of the so-called liushou ertong, or "left behind children," are growing steadily in China's vast rural areas. They represent a personal toll of China's explosive growth.”
-Loretta Chao, Wall Street Journal

40. “Many of the left-behind children stay with one parent
“Many of the left-behind children stay with one parent. But over 30 percent of the children of migrants are left with grandparents or with other relatives with little or no supervision, according to a 2004 survey by the China National Institute for Educational Research.The problem is tearing apart families and creating a generation of children who grow up with limited contact with their parents and little adult supervision. Teachers in provinces such as Anhui say it is common to visit or call a student's home only to find there is no adult in charge.”

42. Political Participation
Party and Participation
58 million participants (8% of the population)
CCP Youth League (70 million)
Capitalists have been allowed party membership since 2001

43. Factionalism in the Communist Party
Conservatives: power of the party and central government has eroded too much
Reformers/Open door: capitalist infusion, more open trade, US granted “most favored trading”, members include Wen Jiabao and Hu Jintao
Liberals: out of power since 1989, support greater political liberties and democratic movements

44. Non-Communist Parties
CCP allows for the existence of 8 “democratic” parties
Each party has a focus and base to draw from (intellectuals, businesses)
Total membership: 500,000
Do not contest the CCP, serve as loyal non-opposition

45. 4. Corruption Guanxi and economic boom have brought rampant corruption
“The fight against corruption is a grave political struggle vital to the very existence of the party and the state…If corruption cannot be punished effectively, our Party will lose the support and confidence of the People.” --Jiang Zemin, 1997
4. Corruption
Guanxi and economic boom have brought rampant corruption
2004 CCP Central Committee publishing policy paper against corruption
2007 Tainted food scandal

46. 5. Interest Groups
Not allowed to influence the political process unless under party-state authority
Party allows for mass organizations where people may express their point of view with strict limits (exp. All-China Federation of Trade Unions and All-China’s Women’s Federation)
Danwei: social units based on people’s workplace
Operate under state corporatism

47. 6. Growth of Civil Society
Private organizations focusing on social problems (environment, AIDS, legal reform)
People still feel there is a lack of transparency within government
1990s brought NGOs about 30,000 registered groups today
Falun Gong

48. Media Xinhua (government press agency)
Chinese Central Television (CCTV)
The People’s Daily (newspaper of CC of the CCP)
State-run agencies hold the largest part of the market but economic liberalization has allowed for wider diversity of content and increase in investigative reporting

49. VII. Mexico Citizens, Society, and the State Cleavages
Urban vs. rural:
PRI Legacy: patron-client system favored illiterate peasants in rural areas
Shift to 75% of population living in urban areas
Urban voters are less inclined to support PRI

50. Social Class: Mestizo vs. Amerindian
Poorest 10% of pop. earned 1.6% of income, wealthiest 10% earned 35.6%
Poor have higher infant mortality, lower life expectancy (more likely to support PRI)
Growing middle class, even in poorer sections of the country (more likely to support PAN)
Mestizo vs. Amerindian
Only about 10% speak an indigenous language, but 30% identify as Amerindian
Amerindians are more likely to live in poverty

52. North v. South North: South: Dry and mountainous
Trade with U.S. creates stronger economy
Better educated, middle and upper class
South:
Subtropical
Less educated, support PRI except in Chiapas state

54. Protests
1968: Student protests in Mexico City resulted in troops killing 200 people
1. Following president worked to integrate citizens
1994: State of Chiapas
Sponsored Zapatista uprising
Vicente Fox worked to incorporate Zapatistas into the political system
Rebellion has not formally been called off but government provides electricity and water to villages

56. Media Under PRI vs. Today
Multiple domestic newspapers and access to international newspapers (CNN, BBC)
Press is free to criticize the government

57. Political Participation
Political Parties:
PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional)
Founded by elites and characterized by:
Corporatist State: party has ultimate authority but interest groups woven into party structure
Patron-client system
Small town or rural, less educated, older, poorer

58. PAN (National Action Party)
Founded in 1939
Platform:
Regional autonomy
Free market economy
Clean and fair elections
Good rapport with the Catholic Church
Support for private and religious education
PRI’s opposition to the right
North, middle-class professional , religious (and non-religious) :)

59. PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party)
PRI opposition to the left
Run on social justice and populism
Party has been criticized for lack of organization
Limited support in legislative branch
Young, politically active, some education, rural or urban

60. Elections
Directly elect : president, Chamber of Deputies, Senate, state and local
Election of 2006:
Tie between PAN and PRD
Election tribunal ordered 9% of precincts to be recounted
PAN candidate, Obrador claimed election was “stolen”
Mid-term Election of 2009:
PAN and PRD lost seats to PRI (doubled their seats)
Has made policy making very difficult

61. Electoral System President: FPTP (plurality) Congress: Dual system
Senate: 3 from each state, 2 by FPTP, 1 by PR
Chamber of Deputies: 300 seats FPTP, 200 seats PR

62. VIII. Nigeria Citizens, Society, and State Challenges:
Poverty: 60% below poverty line
Like Mexico, large gap in wealth distribution
Health issues: 1 out of 11 HIV/AIDS sufferers live in Nigeria
Literacy: Below world average and a gap between males (75.7%) and females (60.6%)

64. Freedom House

65. Cleavages Ethnicity: 250-400 ethnic groups Religion:
Muslim (50%)
Christian (40%): Colonial preferential treatment by British
Native religions (10%)
North (Muslim) vs. South (Christian)
Urban vs. Rural
Social class

66. Public Opinion and Political Participation
Subjects rather than active participants
Patron-Clientelism (Prebendalism)
Extremely personalized system, public offices treated as fiefdoms
Most favors exchanged through political elite
Corruption and informal influence
ESTABLISHED FORM OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

67. Civil Society (realm outside of government influence)
Centripetal (unity) and Centrifugal (division)
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP)
Worked to help Ogoni in the Niger Delta
National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers
Formal associations for journalism, legal, medical, etc.

68. Attitudes toward government
Voting Behavior
Voting in national elections since 1959
Patterns difficult to track
Political parties are numerous and fluid
Results appear to be fraudulent
Attitudes toward government
Low levels of trust
Transparency Index

69. Protests and Social Movements
Chevron Texaco siege by Ijaw women (2002)
Protests focused on foreign-based oil companies in the Niger Delta
Nigeria is the 8th largest oil exporter

70. Political Parties (2007 election)
People’s Democratic Party (PDP):Party of Obasanjo and Yar’Auda
a. Originated in the North, deliberately ran Obasanjo a Christian Yoruba from the south
All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)
Action Congress (AC)

71. Elections and Electoral Procedures
National elections:
Presidential Elections: if an outright majority is not received a 2nd ballot election may take place, also must receive 25% of votes in 2/3 of the states
Legislative Elections:
House: 539 (FPTP)
Senate: 109 (3 from each 36 states)

72. IX. Iran Citizens, Society, and the State Cleavages: Religion:
Shia Muslims (90%)
Sunni Muslim (about 10%)
Jews, Christians, Zoroastrian, and Baha’i(1%)
Ethnicity:
Persian (51%): speak Farsi
Azeri (24%): do not speak Persian, but are Shiite
Gilaki and Mazandarani (8%)
Kurds (7%)
Arabi (3%)

73. Social Class
Peasants and middle class: support the regime, benefited from the gov’t. social programs
Middle and upper class: secularized, have struggled economically, opposition to the regime

74. 3. Reformers vs. conservatives:
Conservatives: keep the regime
Reformers: do not want to do away with the basics of the Islamic state but desire more secularization and democracy
Pragmatic conservatives vs. radical clerics:
Pragmatic conservatives: favor liberal economic policies, strong ties to middle class merchants and rural landowners, private party and economic inequality are supported by Islam
Radical clerics: young and militant clerics, endorse wealth redistribution to benefit the poor

75. Political Participation: Civil liberties written into the 1979 Constitution but have not lived up to their promise
Protests and Demonstrations:
The last decade has experienced multiple student protests against the regime
More than half of people alive today in Iran were not alive during the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Women and the Political System:
Equality with difference
Not well represented in the Majles

76. Political Parties: Constitution allowed for parties but not allowed until Formed around personalities rather than issues.
The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (Ahmadinejad)
Iranian Reform Movement: combination of reform parties, candidates blocked from running (Mousavi)
Etemad-e Melli Party: (Karroubi) 3rd in election of 2005, 4th in election of 2009, “pragmatic reformist”

77. Elections:
Elected institutions: Assembly of Religious Experts, Majles, President, FPTP (could be two rounds)
Majles 2004 and 2008: many candidates were banned from running
President 2005: Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad
President 2009: protests, vote did not match opinion polls

78. Death in Tehran: PBS FRontline