1. AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE
CHAPTER 4

2. POLTICAL CULTURE
THE DISTINCTIVE AND PATTERNED WAY OF THINKING ABOUT HOW POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OUGHT TO BE CARRIED OUT

3. OUR BELIEFS
THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BASED ON SOME CORE BELIEFS
Personal Liberty
Equality
Democracy
Civic Duty
Individual Responsibility
How do we know this is true?
If this is true, how do we explain contrary behavior?
If we agree so much on principle, why do we conflict?
What is “Americanism”?

4. OUR BELIEFS
The American economic system is governed by two basic principles
Free enterprise
Some government regulation
In America, we seem to be more willing to tolerate economic inequality than political inequality
Oddly, it is the most liberal of groups that supports preferential treatment in the economic system
Most Americans support the idea that the government should take care of those who are unable to care for themselves
Still, the concepts of economic individualism and personal responsibility dominate the American Economic landscape

5. IN GENERAL, AMERICANS TEND TO
COMPARING OURSELVES
IN GENERAL, AMERICANS TEND TO
Be more patriotic
Have a higher sense of civic duty and civic competence
Have more confidence in both public and private institutions
Be more individualistic and competitive
Be less interested in seeking harmony

6. IN TERMS OF ECONOMICS, AMERCIANS TEND TO
COMPARING OURSELVES
IN TERMS OF ECONOMICS, AMERCIANS TEND TO
Be less concerned with equality of results
Be less interested in the concept of equal pay
Believe freedom is more important than equality

7. THE CIVIC ROLE OF RELIGION
America is one of the most religious countries in the world
It is getting more religious
Many Americans go to services as much for prayer as for civic importance
Though many Americans may be “Bowling Alone”, church membership rates have stayed fairly consistent

8. RELIGION AND POLITICS
Religion has always played a significant political role
This is especially true in regards to government supported faith-based programs
60% of Americans believe faith based programs are more efficient providers of charity and 40% said they do the best job of providing for those in need (vs. 25% for secular groups and 28% for gov.) Wilson, p. 87

9. SOURCES OF POLITICAL CULTURE
This country was formed out of an adversarial, mistrusting relationship with government
The Constitution is set up in such a way as to limit the power of any one group, thus providing for individual rights, such as religious freedom
Though conflict did occur between Protestants and Catholics, the country seemed to develop out of a Puritan Ethic
PURITAN (PROTESTANT) ETHIC
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT
RELIGIOUS CONVICTION
OBLIGATION TO WORK
OBLIGATION TO SAVE MONEY
OBLIGATION TO OBEY SECULAR LAW
DO GOOD WORKS

10. Sources cont… Churches acted as mini-political systems
Most political attitude is derived for your family
All factors combine to create a lack of “class consciousness”
Most Americans still believe in Horatio Alger stories, resulting in a less popular Socialist Party and a general distaste for welfare programs

11. CULTURE WAR Abortion Gay Rights Drugs School prayer Pornography
Gambling
No money at stake
Conflict comes from “moral core”
Conservative vs. Progressive
Conservative: morality is more important than self-expression (Religious Right)
Progressive: Personal freedom is #1 (Secular Humanism)

12. “DON’T TRUST THE GOVERNMENT”
Trust has declined since the 1950’s
Most people distrust the politicians, not the system
WHY?
Vietnam
Nixon
Clinton
1950’s overly high view of government
Environmentalism
Iraq

13. Ability to understand and take part
POLITICAL EFFICACY: CITIZEN’S CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND AND INFLUENCE POLITICS
INTERNAL EFFICACY
Ability to understand and take part
Not much change since mid 1960’s
EXTERNAL EFFICACY
Ability to make the system respond to the citizenry
Drop since mid 1960’s
No single reason, just a trend
Still higher than in Europe

14. POLITICAL TOLERANCE
MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE IN THE 1ST AMENDMENT, BUT ARE MORE WILLING TO SUSPEND THOSE RIGHTS IN SPECIFIC CASES
Protestants holding a revival meeting
Right to life groups opposing abortion
Nuclear power protestors
Feminists marching for ERA
Gays organizing for homosexual rights
Atheists preaching against God
Students organizing a sit in at city hall
Wilson, p. 94
Intolerance, or civic concern?
Are we intolerant if we cap rights but don’t deny them?
We are getting more tolerant.
How do these groups that most of us don’t like survive?
Consensus on denial of rights?
Role of courts