Public opinion is concerned with specific leaders and government policies.

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1 Political Culture Political Culture is the psychology of a nation in regard to politics. It is a nation s basic values. It is determined by history, economics, religion, and folkways. American political culture is based a belief in individualism and limited government. Japanese accept the authority of government leaders even when they are corrupt.

2 Culture and Opinion Public opinion is concerned with specific leaders and government policies. Tocqueville Public opinion studies rarely go as far as cultural studies. Alexis de Tocqueville s 1835 study of American political culture shows that many American values have stayed the same. Tocqueville helped found the political culture approach in political science.

3 Culture and Participation American Democracy functions with a low participation rate. Still, citizens can vote politicians out. Politicians follow the rule of anticipated reactions: they form policies based on how they think the public will react. If If aroused, the people will participate. The threat of this restrains politicians.

4 The Civic Culture Study Almond and Verba interviewed 5,000 people in 5 different nations. They identified three general political cultures. In the Participant culture people are active, believe they can influence politics. They show a high degree of political competence: knowing how to do things politically, and political efficacy: feeling they have political input.

5 The Civic Culture Study In the Subject political culture people are more passive and obey authority. They have little emotional commitment and do not organize groups. The Parochial culture is made up of people who do not feel they are citizens. They pay no attention to politics and have no desire to participate. They feel powerless. A bad culture for democracy.

6 Culture and Trust The United States is very much a participant political culture. A 1995 Gallup survey found that 64% of Americans are satisfied with their country--more than any other nation. Americans trust in their government is the highest of any developed nation. This trust declined in the 1960s and 1970s but recovered in the 1980s.

7 Political Cultures of Other Nations Almond and Verba found that all nations are a mix of political cultures. Usually one culture stood out: In Germany, people obeyed authority but did not want to get involved in politics (subject culture). In Italy, people were alienated; they did not have the desire or ability to participate (parochial culture).

8 Elite and Mass Culture One finding of the Civic Culture study has been since proven many times the more education a person has, the more likely they are to participate in politics. Elites are normally better educated. Better educated people usually also have higher incomes. The apathy of the mass often neutralizes their voting numbers.

9 Decay of Political Culture In most democracies, trust in government has declined. People have grown cynical. Robert Putnam claims that the American tendency to form associations is fading. Memberships in groups like unions and the Boy Scouts have declined. Others say it just that Americans are joining newer associations. Is Cynicism the result of more education?

10 Political Subcultures A subculture is a minority culture within the mainstream culture. African Americans form a subculture. Poor, French speaking Canadians in Quebec also form a subculture. Many francophones would like to secede. They want to be modern, rich, and maîtres chez nous -- masters in our own house. A 1995 Referendum, mass vote on the issue in Quebec, almost passed.

11 School children being socialized: the pledge to their nation s flag Political Socialization To survive as an organization, each society must train its members in the political culture. This is often done by overt socialization --deliberate government policy to teach culture. In the West, a citizen is taught loyalty to their nation-state. Outside the West, loyalty may be to a tribe, clan, or religious group.

12 The Public Ethos Socialization involves learning the Public Ethos: society s public attitudes, moral code, and customary habits. All citizens are expected to know this. The family is is the most powerful force in socialization but it it also comes from: peer groups, teachers and schools, the media, and the government. An immigrant pledges his allegiance