POLITICAL CULTURE WHAT IS IT? A distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life should be carried out. POLITICAL SYSTEM Americans typically believe that people should have equal access to politics and influence over government. ECONOMIC SYSTEM Americans generally favor equality of opportunity over equality of outcome.
SOURCES OF AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Americans are adversarial, distrust political authority and have a preoccupation with rights & liberties. RELIGIOUS BELIEF Americans fear the dark-side of human nature, thus a constitution is necessary to curb it. INDIVIDUALISM Derived primarily from the American family where the individual has rights and interests that deserve to be addressed.
AUTHORITARIANS/STATISTS Socialists, Communists, Social- Democrats, Democratic- Socialists, National Socialists Favor state control of/union with key industries. Economic, personal and political freedoms are limited either directly or indirectly as a result of government policy. EX: Gun ownership, economic choice etc.
LIBERALS Believe in using government power to bring about equal outcomes. (ECONOMIC LEFT) EX: Social Welfare Programs, Affirmative Action More tolerant of behaviors considered to be outside of social norms. (Socially Progressive) EX: Same-Sex Marriage
CONSERVATIVES Favor limiting state power in the economic sphere to produce opportunity. EX: Low taxes; Reduced government spending President Ronald Reagan is widely regarded as the most popular, and conservative Republican president of the last 50 years. Favor using state power to protect standards of behavior and morality (Socially Orthodox). EX: Drug laws
LIBERTARIANS (Old Liberal ) Favor minimal government involvement in the economy or personal behavior (It s not the government s job to feed you, house you or tell you that you can t smoke that)
Red States vs. Blue States RED STATE= A state that tends to have predominantly conservative population and thus votes for Republicans in national elections. CHARACTERIZED BY: Rural Populations Agriculture or service-based economies Lower taxes Lower-than-average income REGION: South and Western states.
Red States vs. Blue States BLUE STATE=A state that tends to have predominantly liberal population and thus votes for Democrats in national elections. CHARACTERIZED BY: Large urban centers Manufacturing or tech-based economies Higher taxes High Minority Populations Higher-than-average income REGION: East & West Coast, Midwest.
POLITICAL ELITES POLITICAL ELITES=People actively involved in politics: Politicians Campaign workers Media Special Interest Groups Activists More ideologically pure due to higher information intake and peer groups. Members of Congress tend-to be more polarized. IMPACT 1. Elite media-ites raise and frame political issues. 2. Set the norms for how an issue should be settled.
POLITICAL ELITES EX: Environmental issues; foreign affairs QUESTION: Are politicians more polarized because the people are, or vice-versa?
PUBLIC OPINION LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE
PUBLIC OPINION WEALTHY POOR
PUBLIC OPINION BLACK WHITE
PUBLIC OPINION BLACK HISPANIC
PUBLIC OPINION BLACK ASIAN
PUBLIC OPINION VIETNAMESE KOREAN
PUBLIC OPINION CALIFORNIA LATINOS TEXAS LATINOS
PUBLIC OPINION MEXICAN CUBAN
PUBLIC OPINION WEALTHY PROTESTANT WEALTHY JEW
PUBLIC OPINION COLLEGE PROFESSOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
PUBLIC OPINION ASSEMBLY LINE WORKER TRUCK DRIVER
PUBLIC OPINION BLACK PETROLEUM ENGINEER WHITE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
PUBLIC OPINION WHITE JOURNALIST FROM MICHIGAN WHITE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FROM MISSISSPPI
PUBLIC OPINION BLACK ARMY VETERAN BLACK COMEDIAN
PUBLIC OPINION PUBLIC OPINION=How a significant number of people feel about key issues. POLLS Random Sampling of at least 1,000-1,500 people. LIMITATIONS: Factions prevent public opinion from being accurately measured. Internal efficacy of respondents The type of issue determines the strength of the response Political Socialization (Ideological and background traits impact responses). Wording of the questions
PUBLIC OPINION CLEAVAGES=Differences in opinions based upon demographic characteristics. FACTORS THAT DIVIDE PUBLIC OPINION Social Class Religion Race Age Region Sex