Political Socialization - The Macro Process
Diffuse support is critical to the maintenance and stability of the political system
A political system must be able to generate or create diffuse support
How? -coercion or force
-manipulation of values/propaganda (hegemonic theory)
-socialization (systems theory)
Systems theory argues that values in support of the political system are transferred
through a generational process, wherein the family teaches values that will allow the
child to succeed in society. These values are reinforced by other important agents of
the socialization process.
Agents of socialization:
• parental family
1. direct value transfer
2. indirect value transfer
• schools and the educational system
1. direct value transfer
2. indirect value transfer
• peer groups
Political Socialization - The Micro Process
In order for the political system to convert specific demands in public policy outputs, it must have support. The
political system must be able to generate and sustain support if it is to remain stable. Perhaps the most
important way to accomplish this objective is to instill favorable attitudes in people toward the symbols of the
system. This process may be overt and orchestrated as hegemonic theory suggests or it may be a natural,
generational process as systems theory argues.
Through the processes of socialization we learn about our culture - its norms, traditions, values, and acceptable
patterns of behavior. Political socialization is the process in which each of us learns about the political
culture -that is, political norms, traditions, values, and acceptable patterns of political behavior. Through
political socialization, people acquire attitudes and orientations toward the politics of their societies.
Socialization is important because it usually teaches values and norms that support the system. If it is
successful [at a “macro” or systems-wide level] it produces the broad, diffuse support that is critical to the
stability of the political system. Socialization also [at a “micro” or individual level] is the process whereby each
member of society comes to form his or her own specific set of political attitudes, values, beliefs, orientations,
and opinions. Therefore, while the socialization process has some basic similarities for all members of society,
there may be variations on the process for particular groups or sectors of society and for individuals.
There are three major phases of the socialization process : childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. While
socialization takes place throughout a person’s lifetime, some phases are critically important in shaping
socialization at both the “macro” and “micro” levels. The primacy principle argues that the values that we
learn earliest in life are the ones that form the core of our value systems when we become adults. For most of
us, these values remain with us througout our entire lives. The structuring principle means that the values
that we learn earliest in life help us “structure” or assimilate new and ,sometimes, competing information into
our existing value systems. These two corrollary principles suggest that childhood, even very early childhood,
is critical in the process of successful political socialization. They also imply that the most important agent of
the political socialization process is the parental family.