Political Culture in Canada Douglas Brown Pols 220 / St Francis Xavier Fall term, 2008

Political Culture in Canada: Contents What is political culture? Recent developments in Canadian political culture Nevitte and Kanji’s study of “new cleavages”

Readings Brooks, Canadian Democracy, chap 2. Nevitte and Kanjii “New Cleavages…” (chapter 4) in Bickerton and Gagnon eds., Canadian Politics

What is Political Culture? “Values, beliefs, behaviour of a society’s members in regards to politics” What we value in political life (liberty, equality, participation, etc.) Our attitudes towards government and politics – e.g. Deference, Trust, Efficacy, Alienation How we act on our beliefs and values (voting, demonstrations, party volunteer, etc. ) Are there are differences of political culture within Canada ?

Elements of Political Culture Overall regime support Broad value sets Socialization to politics Community identification Efficacy as citizens Trust in/ deference towards political leadership and institutions Participation/ acting on beliefs and values

Developments in Canadian Political Culture…1 Declining levels of trust in government and politicians Declining levels in citizen efficacy –i.e. feeling that one can change the course of politics or the system Declining deference to authority figures

Developments…2 Material values …in decline ? Value of economic growth, development Value of economic growth, development Importance of redistribution, income inequality Importance of redistribution, income inequality Less important now? Less important now? Post-material values …on the rise ? Gender and sexual orientation identification and rights Gender and sexual orientation identification and rights Multiculturalism and the politics of recognition Multiculturalism and the politics of recognition Environment, quality of life concerns Environment, quality of life concerns

Participation trends Declining social capital: the “bowling alone” thesis Decline in voting Rise in direct action Formation of new parties and movements Cyber-politics: technologically-driven methods of citizen participation and feedback

Comparing Canada and US Significant convergences: Views on deference, social order, and social equality are very close or the same Views on deference, social order, and social equality are very close or the same Still significant differences: More tolerance of free speech in the US More tolerance of free speech in the US More value placed on individual initiative in the US More value placed on individual initiative in the US More value placed on collective or State provision in Canada More value placed on collective or State provision in Canada Is the Post 9/11 (“war on terror”) security climate having an effect on our values?

Nevitte and Kanji: “New Cleavages, Value Diversity and Democratic Governance” Measuring Political Culture The Nature of “Cleavages” Understanding changes in Canada’s political culture (sociology)

Old Cleavages in Canada French – English Catholic – Protestant Regional – east, west, Quebec, Ontario Class – labour, farmers, middle/upper classes

Three Newer Cleavages New Basis of Immigration Generational Shift to “Post-material” values Gender

Testing Values by surveying views on the following: Subjective religiosity Church leadership Moral permissiveness Civil permissiveness Market economics Science and technology Women and work Kids and independence Workplace conditions Post-materialism factors

Results …. Value gaps widening… Between native-born Canadians and newer immigrants Between native-born Canadians and newer immigrants Between those born before 1960 and those born after Between those born before 1960 and those born after Between men and women Between men and women Immigrants, younger Canadians and women all more likely to adopt the newer value set

Significance: Greater value diversity in the populations makes governance more difficult But, older cleavages less important Value diversity within a region makes for less satisfaction …e.g. Alberta, Quebec Yet, the more post-material the society, the more likely to protest