1. Canadian Political Culture

2. Political Culture
The sum total of the politically relevant values, beliefs, attitudes and orientations in a society.
It’s the feelings people have toward the overall community.
Patriotism
Nationalism
Pride
Attitude toward the country or province.

3. Political Culture and the State
A second component of political culture is the beliefs regarding the role of the state.
Also includes orientations to the decision-making apparatus.
Issues include
Trust in institutions
Participation in politics

4. Political Culture Political culture also includes popular stereotypes.
Sydney Verba and Gabriel Almond found that there are three basic categories of political culture.
Parochial
Subject
participatory.

5. Parochial People do not expect any positive action from government
Perceive government as a police officer and tax collector.
Public wish to keep distance from themselves and the government.
Do not expect public participation

6. Subject Culture Some expectation of positive action from governments.
Do not see themselves involved in politics
Questions of what governments should do are to be decided by people with influence and power.

7. Participatory Culture
High expectations of government
Expect the public to participate in politics
Choose leaders
Influence political action
Integral part of liberal democracy.
Substantial consensus on the legitimacy of political institutions and direction of public policy
Widespread tolerance of plurality of interests.
Widely distributed sense of political competence.

8. Why examine Political Culture?
The question Almond and Verba were trying to answer is:
How do we create stable democratic regimes?
This question emanated from the WWII experience.
The underlying theme is to avoid the collapse of democracy as was seen in Italy and Germany.

9. Almond and Verba’s answer
Stability rests with attitudes of citizens
Culture matters as institutional relations are not enough.
Stability is fostered by encouraging attitudes in which the “self” is an important actor.
Political culture also gives order and meaning to a political process
That provides the underlying assumption and rules that government behaviour in the political system.

10. Almond and Verba’s Model
Political Culture
Socialization
Transmission
Political Behaviour
Attitudes
Beliefs
Values

11. Political Culture Culture is the living patterns of a people.
The place of the family
The role of the religion
The influence of economics and politics
Used as an umbrella term that includes institutional arrangements as well as
Attitudes
Beliefs
Orientation to politics

12. Traditional Canadian Political Culture
Democracy
Popular Sovereignty: people have a final say in who will be elected officials.
Popular sovereignty is limited to elections, few referenda have occurred in Canada
1898: prohibition
1942: conscription
1992: Charlottetown Accord
Elections are periodic

13. Traditional Canadian Political Culture
Political Equality
One person, one vote
Political Freedom
Conscience & religion
Thought, belief, opinion, expression, freedom of the press.
Peaceful assembly
Freedom of association

14. Traditional Canadian Political Culture
Majority Rule
The large number takes precedence over the smaller number.
Minority rights, however, are protected.
Charter rights
Women
Visible minorities
Aboriginals

15. What are Canadian values?
Not America?
American culture:
Life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness
Canadian culture:
Peace, order & good government.
Lipset: Continental Divide
Canada, class-aware, elitist, law-abiding, statist, collectivity-oriented, and group-oriented.

16. The Fragment Theory Formulated by Louis Hartz.
Colonial societies such as the U.S. and Canada originated as fragments of larger European society.
American origins were as an act of revolution against Great Britain.
Therefore, individual freedom and suspicion of government informs the political culture of the U.S.

17. The Fragment Theory
Canadian origins were French settlers of Acadia and New France
Canada never had a rebellion against Britain.
Canada also includes the Loyalists who were refugees from the American revolution.
Because of these differences in origins, Hartz argues that Canada is more
Corporatist
Collectivist
Deferential

18. Trends in Political Culture
Post-materialism has an influence on political culture.
New generations have a different relationship with governments than their predecessors.
These have consequences
Lower voter turnout
Decrease in party loyalty
Single issue movements.

19. Canadian Values? Individualism Particularism and tolerance
Deference to authority
Egalitarianism
Caution, diffidence, dependence, and nonviolence

20. Canadian Cultural Themes
Elitism: pattern of decision making in which “small groups of people exercise considerable power”
Elitist view argues that Canadians are deferential to authority.

21. Regionalism
The diversity of geographic factors and economic concerns that are politically important and perceived by members of the political system.

22. Dualism
impact and relationship of the major cultural groups of French and English.
This means that both cultures and languages are protected, no matter the cost.

23. Continentalism
impact of external factors such as the US impact on Canadian politics.
Not only are we linked economically, but many forces at work in the US filter to Canada.

24. Popular Canadian Myths
How do we define ourselves as Canadians?
Less crime in Canada than in the U.S.
Canadians speak more softly than Americans.
Canadians are more polite
More tolerant
Have more respect for authority.

25. Changing Political Culture
Direct democracy
Referendum
Initiative
Recall
Populism
Politicians should reflect the opinions of their constituencies.

26. Subcultures Regional and Provincial subcultures Ethnic subcultures
Class subcultures
Other subcultures
Age cohort
Post-materialism

27. Political Participation
Political efficacy: sense of political competence and a feeling that one can have impact on the system.
Electoral Participation
Voting
Joining political parties
Join voluntary groups