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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.

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A second component of political culture is the beliefs regarding the role of the state.
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Also includes orientations to the decisionmaking apparatus.
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Issues include
– Trust in institutions
– Participation in politics

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

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

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

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High expectations of government
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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.

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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.

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

Political Culture Socialization
Transmission
Political Behaviour
Attitudes
Beliefs
Values

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

Traditional Canadian Political
Culture
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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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

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Individualism
Particularism and tolerance
Deference to authority
Egalitarianism
Caution, diffidence, dependence, and nonviolence

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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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.

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Direct democracy
– Referendum
– Initiative
– Recall
Populism
– Politicians should reflect the opinions of their constituencies.

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Regional and Provincial subcultures
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Ethnic subcultures
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Class subcultures
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Other subcultures
– Age cohort
– Post-materialism

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