POLI 111: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE Session 9-Political Socialization Lecturer: Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, Department of Political Science Contact Information: aggreydarkoh@ug.edu.gh
Session Overview In this session, we are interested in political socialization. Specifically, we are introduced to the definition of political socialization and explore the functions or role of political socialization At the end of the session, students must be able to list and explain the agencies of political socialization state the effect that the failure of political socialization will have on the state
Session Outline The session discusses two major topics namely: Political Socialization The Development of Political Socialization
Topic One POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
Definition of Political Socialization When we think of the socializing process, we must remember that we picked such behavior patterns as table manners, correct terms of address, and the rules of personal hygiene as washing your hands before and after meals among others Such behaviors are not formally taught, we mostly copy them by observing other people who know what they are doing Political socialization operates along the same lines We normally watch, copy, and listen to the political attitudes and values of the family, friends, and others whom we respect
Political socialization has been variously defined To Magstadt and Schotten, political socialization is the process whereby citizens develop the values, attitudes, beliefs and opinions that enable them to support the political system To them political socialization is the process of being conditioned to think and behave in a socially acceptable manner
According to Andrew Heywood, political socialization is the process through which individuals acquire political values, beliefs, and by which these are transmitted from one generation to the next To Heywood, interest in political socialization peaked during the behavioral revolution, as external stimuli were seen to explain and possibly determine political attitudes of behaviors
Roskin, Cord, Medeiros and Jones define political socialization broadly to connote the way in which a society perpetuates its political culture From the above definitions it can be inferred that political socialization is a continuous, life-long process which is part of each individual s conditioning and education as a member of the culture he or she is born into It is an important phenomenon of all political systems and it does not necessarily involve a deliberate indoctrination by the agencies of the government
Functions of Political Socialization Political socialization performs a number of functions for both the individual and the political system as a whole. These include: Training the Individual: political socialization instills in each individual the prevailing values of the political system It enables him or her to relate to the system very well. In other words, it helps him or her to expect certain things from the government and to know what the political system expects from him or her
Functions of Political Socialization (cont d) Political socialization also plays the important role of training people to recognize those who have the right to exercise official authority, and to accept this right We are all socialized to the extent that even though we may disagree with a particular law, we will nevertheless feel obliged to obey the law It is true that in most cases we obey the law because of the fear of punishment but it is equally true to state that we sometimes obey because of our training
Functions of Political Socialization (cont d) Supporting the Political System: political socialization helps to maintain and legitimize the political system and the government in office It maintains the system by educating the citizens to obey its rules and to fulfill its roles The system works as it does, and succeeds in governing effectively when most of its members obey the laws and accept the different roles they have been given, such as judges, police officers, medical officers, party activists, presidential and parliamentary candidates, and voters, which interact to keep the system running
Functions of Political Socialization (cont d) It must be noted that political socialization legitimizes the government When legitimacy erodes, government must resort to the use of force to enforce its writ One quick test of legitimacy is to find out how many police officers are needed
Topic Two THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
Agencies of Political Socialization Everything the child encounters is a potential agent of political socialization It is true that what the child encounters first or earliest is likely to outweigh the others The family is likely to outweigh the other agencies of socialization because it is the first place the child get contact with the world If the values of the family and other agencies of socialization are congruent, they reinforce each other
Agencies of Political Socialization (cont d) The agencies of political socialization include the following: The family The school Peer groups The mass media Religion The government
When Political Socialization Fails When a nation fails to politically socialize large numbers of citizens, the result is far-reaching. These people will not be successfully integrated into the political system, and they will not share the norms, rules, and laws of the society A breakdown of this kind can threaten the very survival of the state The frequency of student protests in Ghana and around the world in recent decades suggests that the political socialization of young people may not be as effective in many societies as it once was
When Political Socialization Fails Some citizens may never become fully socialized politically A political regime s failure to socialize its citizens may result from unequal or unfair government treatment of those citizens. In such cases, citizens may become angry, cynical, or embittered, or they may even turn to crime or revolution In the extreme case of unjust, tyrannical government, citizens crimes may be viewed as actions taken justifiably Thus, while the failure of political socialization is always detrimental to the government in power, the moral and political implications of that failure are not always as easy to evaluate