Defining the American Political Culture
Many American citizens’ first experience with
democracy is a school election, sometimes as
early as in elementary school.
Political scientists use the term political culture
to refer to the widely shared beliefs, values, and
norms citizens hold about their relationship to
government and to one another.
American political culture centers on democratic
values.
• Students should identify the most important elements of
and sources for the American political culture.
Defining the American Political Culture
Shared Values
• Before the American and French Revolutions
discussions about individual liberty, freedom,
equality, private property, limited government,
and popular consent were rare.
• The founders of our nation claimed that
individuals have certain natural rights.
• During this same period the economic system was
changing from a mercantile system to a free
market system.
The American Political Culture
Shared Values
Liberty
Equality
Individualism
Respect for the Common Person
Democratic Consensus
Justice and the Rule of Law
Nationalism, Optimism, and Idealism
The American Political Culture
(continue)
 The American Dream – a set of ideas holding that
the U.S. is a land of opportunity and that individual
initiative and hard work bring economic success
 Political and Economic Change – political
values are affected by historic and economic
developments:
a. The Industrial Transformation
b. Development of large corporations
c. The Great Depression & the New Deal
d. The Global economy
Political Socialization
 The way people acquire their political values.
 Family members.
 School and peers.
 Media, especially television.
 Religion.
 Demographics: race, ethnicity, gender, age, and region.
 Outside events.
Most Americans share all but one of the
following values
a. Religion
b. Free enterprise
c. Big business
d. Free press
Americans for the most part do not believe in
a. pragmatism
b. free speech
c. active political participation
d. passive government
Americans do not believe in
a. self help
b. government regulations
c. socialism
d. a class system
Americans believe that this condition is
necessary to make the system work.
a. unemployment
b. discrimination
c. education
d. uniformity of belief
The most important source of the American
political culture is the
a. mass media
b. family
c. schools
d. church or synagogue
Political scientists believe that college attendance has which of
the following socializing effects on young people?
a. College attendance makes people less likely to share their
family’s political views.
b. College attendance makes young people more conservative.
c. College attendance has no effect on political knowledge,
attitudes, and beliefs.
d. College attendance makes young people more liberal.
Political culture refers to shared
a. beliefs
b. values
c. norms
d. all of the above
The American dream consists of
a. enthusiasm for capitalism
b. competitive markets
c. equality of income
d. all of these
In the American system of values, the role of
the government is to
a. serve the people
b. protect the nation
c. regulate markets
d. guarantee equality
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
Liberalism
• Contemporary Liberals
1. Favor individual rights, rights to own
private property
2. Willing to have government intervention
in the economy
3. Advocate equal access to social services
& protections
4. Support Affirmative Action & equality of
opportunity
5. Prefer tax rates that rise with income
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
• Criticisms of Liberalism
1. Rely too much on government solutions
2. Rely too much on higher taxes
3. Rely too much on bureaucracy
4. Undermine individual initiative,
entrepreneurial spirit, self reliance, self
help ethics the U.S. was founded on
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
Conservatism
• Traditional Conservatives
1. Emphatically pro-business
2. Against taxes
3. Oppose most trade, antitrust, and
environmental regulations
4. Dispersed government power
5. Limited government services
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
• Social Conservatives (New Right)
1. Less focused on economics
2. More focused on morality and
lifestyle
3. Favor strong government action in
a. Protection of children from drugs &
pornography
b. Limiting abortions
c. Defending freedom and American
interests abroad
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
• Criticism of Conservatives
1. Don’t want big government unless it
serves its needs or to counter social
evils
2. Places too much faith on market
economy
3. Tax cuts for the rich at the expense of
bigger deficits for defense spending
4. Fail to endorse policies against
racism and sexism
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
Environmentalism
1. On social issues the so-called Green
movement is similar to liberal
a. Favor grassroots democracy
b. Favor social justice, feminism
c. Support equal opportunity,
nonviolence, & respect for
diversity
2. Emphasize the ecology & the
environment
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
American Socialism
1. Favor economic & governmental systems based on
public ownership
2. Prefer expanded role of government
3. Favor nationalization of certain industries
4. Support public programs
5. Support taxing the rich & reducing defense spending
American Communism: A political, social, &
economic system in which land & capital are
collectively owned & political power is exercised by
the masses.
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government
Libertarianism
1. Cherish individual liberties
2. Favor sharp government limitations
a. Limit defense to national defense only and
all government regulations
3. Oppose all public programs
4. Favor extensive government spending cuts
a. Support elimination of FBI, CIA, regulatory
commissions
b. Oppose participation in international
bodies, i.e. United Nations
5. Resemble anarchism to some extent
A more radical brand of Conservatism
has recently emerged called
a. Contemporary Liberals
b. Libertarians
c. New Right
d. Greens
Which one of the following groups wants the
least government
a. Libertarians
b. Conservatives
c. Liberals
d. Socialists
Which group demands the most government
a. Greens
b. Conservatives
c. Liberals
d. Socialists
Those who favor expansion of government
control over drinking, drugs, abortion,
prayer, and life style are the
a. New Right
b. Conservatives
c. Liberals
d. Libertarians
Political Ideology and Attitudes
Toward Government (continue)
A Word of Caution
•Political labels have different meanings.
•Ideology both causes
events and is affected by it.
•Unlike in 2000 and 2004,
the 2008 election produced
a winner with a large
enough majority in the
popular vote and electoral
college to claim a mandate.
The most important source of the American
political culture is the
a. mass media
b. family
c. schools
d. church or synagogue
Differences in Political Ideology
Liberal
Undecided
Conservative
Moderate
39%
23%
20%
18%
31
24
22
23
White
39
24
21
17
Black
18
21
22
39
Asian
20
26
36
18
Hispanic
22
25
20
32
Sex
Male
Female
Race
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008,
American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral
Behavior.
Differences in Political Ideology
Undecided
Conservative
Moderate
Liberal
18-34
26%
24%
28%
23%
35-45
36
26
16
20
46-55
37
23
17
20
56-64
38
21
26
15
45
18
16
15
Age
Religion
Protestant
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008,
American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral
Behavior.
Differences in Political Ideology
Liberal Undecided
Conservative
Moderate
Catholic
31%
28%
18
23%
Jewish
26
12
63
0
Less than high school
25
20
14
42
High school diploma
29
27
11
33
Some college
38
25
22
15
Religion
Education
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008,
American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral
Behavior.
Differences in Political Ideology
Liberal Undecided
Conservative
Moderate
Bachelor’s degree
42%
21%
32%
5%
Advanced degree
45
14
39
3
Democrat
13
27
37
23
Independent
14
35
11
40
Republican
70
15
5
11
Education
Party
SOURCE: Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan, 2008,
American National Election Study Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral
Behavior.
Political Ideology &the American People
1. Ideology has economic, social/lifestyle,
environmental, civil rights/civil liberties, and
foreign/defense policy dimensions.
2. In the United States, most people are
moderates or report not knowing whether they
are liberal or conservative.
3. The absence of widespread and solidified
liberal and conservative positions in the United
States makes for politics and policymaking
processes that are markedly different from
those in most nations.
Political Ideology &the American People
4. Policy making in this country is characterized
more by ad hoc coalitions than by fixed
alignments that pit one set of ideologies
against another.
5. This does not mean that policies or ideas are
not important in American politics.
6. Ideologies have consequences.