american political culture

Chapter 4Chapter 4American American Political Political CultureCulture

Copyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1. Do Americans trust their government?1. Do Americans trust their government?

2. Why do we accept great differences in 2. Why do we accept great differences in wealth and income?wealth and income?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1. Why does our government behave 1. Why does our government behave

differently than governments in differently than governments in countries with similar constitutions?countries with similar constitutions?

Political CulturePolitical Culture

Political culture is a patterned and Political culture is a patterned and sustained way of thinking about how sustained way of thinking about how politicalpolitical and and economiceconomic life ought to life ought to be carried out.be carried out.


Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America, a profound analysis of our political culture, p. 78.

The Granger Collection

Political CulturePolitical Culture

The Political SystemThe Political System The Persistence of The Persistence of

ConflictConflict The Economic SystemThe Economic System



In the 1950s Senator Joseph In the 1950s Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin was the McCarthy of Wisconsin was the inspiration for the world inspiration for the world “McCarthyism” after his highly “McCarthyism” after his highly publicized attacks on alleged publicized attacks on alleged communists working in the communists working in the federal government, p. 81 federal government, p. 81

At the height of At the height of immigration to this country, immigration to this country, there was a striking there was a striking emphasis on creating a emphasis on creating a shared political culture. shared political culture. Schoolchildren, whatever Schoolchildren, whatever their national origin, were their national origin, were taught to salute this taught to salute this country’s flag. p. 79country’s flag. p. 79

Topham/The Image Works

Underwood & Underwood/CORBIS


Source: Jack Citrin, et al., “Testing Huntington,” Perspectives on Politics, 5 (2007), 43. Data are from 2004 National Election Survey.


Comparing America with Other Comparing America with Other NationsNations

The Political SystemThe Political System The Economic SystemThe Economic System The Civic Role of ReligionThe Civic Role of Religion

The chaplain of the U. S. House of Representatives leads a prayer, p. 85.

AP Photo/Ken Lambert


The Sources of Political CultureThe Sources of Political Culture

Personal Liberty vs. Social ControlPersonal Liberty vs. Social Control Class ConsciousnessClass Consciousness The Culture WarThe Culture War

• OrthodoxOrthodox – a belief that morality and – a belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive religion ought to be of decisive importance.importance.

• ProgressiveProgressive – a belief that personal – a belief that personal freedom and solving social problems are freedom and solving social problems are more important than religion.more important than religion.


Yet, despite Yet, despite disagreements Americans disagreements Americans are a patriotic people, as are a patriotic people, as seen in this photo of seen in this photo of baseball fans waving baseball fans waving flags and singing “God flags and singing “God Bless America,” taken a Bless America,” taken a few days after 9/11.few days after 9/11.

Protests and demonstrations Protests and demonstrations are a common feature of are a common feature of American politics, as with this American politics, as with this attack in Seattle on American attack in Seattle on American membership in the World membership in the World Trade Organization in Trade Organization in November 2001.November 2001.

Beth A. Keiser/AP Photo

John Sommers II/Reuters/Corbis

Figure 4.2 Trust in the Federal Figure 4.2 Trust in the Federal Government, 1958-2004Government, 1958-2004


p. 90Source: University of Michigan, The American National Election Studies.


Source: Gallup Poll

Mistrust of GovernmentMistrust of Government

Civil society is that collection of Civil society is that collection of private, voluntary groups that – private, voluntary groups that – independent of the government and independent of the government and the commercial market – make the commercial market – make human cooperation easier and human cooperation easier and provide ways of holding the provide ways of holding the government accountable for its government accountable for its actions.actions.


Figure 4.3 The American Civic Figure 4.3 The American Civic Health Index, 1975-2002Health Index, 1975-2002


Source: America’s Civic Health Index: Broken Engagement (Washington, D.C.: National Citizenship Conference and Saguaro Seminar, September 2006), p. 6. Reprinted by permission of the National Conference of Citizenship. p. 91

Political TolerancePolitical Tolerance

In order for democracy to work, citizens In order for democracy to work, citizens must have a political culture that must have a political culture that allows the discussion of ideas and the allows the discussion of ideas and the selection of rulers in an atmosphere selection of rulers in an atmosphere reasonably free of oppression.reasonably free of oppression.


MEMORANDUMMEMORANDUM

To: To: Representative Olivia KuoRepresentative Olivia Kuo

From: From: J. P. Loria, chief of staffJ. P. Loria, chief of staff

Subject: Subject: Charitable Choice Expansion ActCharitable Choice Expansion Act

Section 104 of the 1996 federal welfare reform law Section 104 of the 1996 federal welfare reform law encourages states to utilize “faith-based organizations” as encourages states to utilize “faith-based organizations” as providers of federal welfare services. Known as Charitable providers of federal welfare services. Known as Charitable Choice, the law prohibits participating organizations from Choice, the law prohibits participating organizations from discriminating against beneficiaries on the basis of religion discriminating against beneficiaries on the basis of religion but permits them to control “the definition, development, but permits them to control “the definition, development, practice, and expression” of their religious convictions. The practice, and expression” of their religious convictions. The proposed act would expand Charitable Choice to crime proposed act would expand Charitable Choice to crime prevention and other areas.prevention and other areas.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. Over 90 percent of Americans believe in God, and 80 1. Over 90 percent of Americans believe in God, and 80 percent favor government funding for faith-based social percent favor government funding for faith-based social programs.programs.

2. Local religious groups are the main nongovernmental 2. Local religious groups are the main nongovernmental providers of social services in poor urban neighborhoods. providers of social services in poor urban neighborhoods. The primary beneficiaries of faith-based programs are The primary beneficiaries of faith-based programs are needy neighborhood children who are not affiliated with needy neighborhood children who are not affiliated with any congregation.any congregation.

3. So long as the religious organizations serve civic purposes 3. So long as the religious organizations serve civic purposes and do not proselytize, the law is constitutional.and do not proselytize, the law is constitutional.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. Americans are a richly religious people precisely because 1. Americans are a richly religious people precisely because we have never mixed church and state in this way.we have never mixed church and state in this way.

2. Community-serving religious groups succeed because over 2. Community-serving religious groups succeed because over 97 percent of their funding is private and they can flexibly 97 percent of their funding is private and they can flexibly respond to people’s needs without government or other respond to people’s needs without government or other interference.interference.

3. Constitutional or not, the law threatens to undermine both 3. Constitutional or not, the law threatens to undermine both church and state: Children will have religion slid (if not church and state: Children will have religion slid (if not jammed) down their throats, and religious leaders will be jammed) down their throats, and religious leaders will be tempted to compromise their convictions.tempted to compromise their convictions.



Your decision:Your decision:

Favor expansion?Favor expansion?

Oppose expansion?Oppose expansion?



american political culture

Education

shared political culture

patterned andpolitical

cengage alexis

cengage source

federal government

government behave1

social controlpersonal

personal freedom