1. Unit 2: Political Beliefs and Behavior American Political Culture
Edwards, Chapter 6
AP Government

2. What is Political Culture?
The widely-shared beliefs, values, and norms that citizens share about their government
A distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out.

3. CHARACTERISTICS Liberty
Rugged individualism (is this always the case?)
Equality
Opportunity more than result
Political more than economic equality
American Dream
FDR’s second bill of rights
Conflict between liberty (capitalism) and equality (democracy): Progressive Era; New Deal; Great Society

4. CHARACTERISTICS Democracy
Civic Duty (but we don’t know much about political affairs)
Mistrust of Government (since 1960s)
Political Efficacy-capacity to understand (individual) and influence (external) political events.
Political tolerance- in the abstract vs. concrete
Pragmatism - we’re less ideological
Justice- “government of laws, not men”

5. More on Justice…
Policies and laws that adhere to the rule of law must adhere to these rules:
Generality
Prospectivity (apply to the future)
Publicity (cannot be secret)
Authority
Due Process

6. Questions About Political Culture
How do we know people share these beliefs?
How do we explain behavior inconsistent with these beliefs?
Why is there so much political conflict in U.S. history?

7. Sources of Political Culture
History
Religion
Family
Education
What has shaped your political identity and culture?

8. Sources of Political Culture
American Revolution was essentially over liberty—asserting rights
Widespread (not universal) participation permitted by Constitution
Absence of an established national religion made religious diversity inevitable
Family instills how we think about world and politics
Not a high degree of class consciousness

9. Culture War Cultural clash over values vs. economic clash over wealth
Orthodox (morality): morality is as, or more, important than self-expression; morality derives from fixed rules from God
Progressive (personal freedom): personal freedom is as, or more, important than tradition; rules change based on circumstances of modern life and individual preferences
Clash over: abortion, gay rights, drug use, school prayer and pornography.
How is this war different than political disputes?
Why has this war grown in recent years?

10. Mistrust of Government
The “American Malaise” - crisis of confidence evident in Americans’ growing disrespect for government, schools, churches, and institutions.
Jimmy Carter
Why don’t we trust our government? What don’t we trust about it?

11. Mistrust of Government
There is evidence that mistrust has increased since the late 1950s
Causes: Watergate, the Vietnam War, Clinton impeachment, 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq War, Obama’s Policies?
Public confidence is likely to ebb and flow with circumstances
No dramatic change in confidence in Americans

12. Trust in the Federal Government, 1958-2002
Insert figure 4.1
University of Michigan, The National Election Studies.

13. America vs. the World
Swedes - deferential in nature; harmony; equality in results more important than equality in opportunity
Japanese - Respect authority; group decisions
British- sense of civic duty; rectify unjust laws
Americans - strong sense of religion in politics
IS THE U.S. REALLY APATHETIC?????

14. Attitudes Toward Economic Equality in America and Europe
Insert table 4.3

15. Religion and Politics
Religious beliefs have played an important role in American politics
Both liberals and conservatives use the pulpit to promote political change
Candidates for national office in most other contemporary democracies rarely mention religion; drastically different in the U.S.

16. Political Efficacy
Political efficacy: citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political events
Internal efficacy: confidence in one’s ability to understand and influence events
External efficacy: belief that system will respond to citizens

17. Changes in the Sense of Political Efficacy, 1952-2000
Insert figure 4.3
Copyright © Houghton
University of Michigan, The National Election Studies.

18. Political Tolerance
A minimal level of tolerance is crucial to democratic politics
Most Americans support tolerance in the abstract
Most Americans would deny these rights in specific cases

19. How Very Unpopular Groups Survive
Most people do not act on their beliefs
Officeholders and activists are more tolerant than the general public
Usually there is no consensus on whom to persecute
Courts are sufficiently insulated from public opinion to enforce constitutional protections