American Political Culture. Government/Politics What is Political? What is Government The organization that holds a monopoly on legitimate violence in

American Political American Political CultureCulture

Government/PoliticsGovernment/Politics

What is Political? What is Political? What is GovernmentWhat is GovernmentThe organization that holds a monopoly on The organization that holds a monopoly on legitimate violence in a particular territorylegitimate violence in a particular territoryThe authoritative allocation of resources and The authoritative allocation of resources and valuesvaluesA location for settling conflictsA location for settling conflictsJustin’s Broad Definition- any factor that may Justin’s Broad Definition- any factor that may have an impact on conflict resolution, decision have an impact on conflict resolution, decision making, or policy outputsmaking, or policy outputs

Three Broad ClassesThree Broad Classes

InputsInputs CultureCulture InformationInformation Public OpinionPublic Opinion

InstitutionsInstitutions Branches of GovernmentBranches of Government Parties/Interest GroupsParties/Interest Groups

OutputsOutputs PoliciesPolicies ConditionsConditions OutcomesOutcomes

Why GovernmentWhy Government

Social Contract TheorySocial Contract Theory Human Nature not a pretty Human Nature not a pretty

thingthing State of nature- Life nasty, State of nature- Life nasty,

brutish, short (but totally free)brutish, short (but totally free)

Hobbes- Preserve LifeHobbes- Preserve Life Any government better than Any government better than

no governmentno government

Locke- Life, Liberty, PropertyLocke- Life, Liberty, Property Not only secure life but quality Not only secure life but quality

of lifeof life Rights Precede Government, Rights Precede Government,

Government ensures themGovernment ensures them

In Both Cases- Protect us from In Both Cases- Protect us from each othereach other

Why Government?Why Government?

At a minimum- Provide some degree of At a minimum- Provide some degree of securitysecurity

Seen in both liberal and conservative Seen in both liberal and conservative argumentsarguments

Homeland SecurityHomeland Security

Tough on CrimeTough on Crime

Welfare and Social ServicesWelfare and Social Services

Why Government?Why Government?

Also, pursue goals we could not pursue aloneAlso, pursue goals we could not pursue aloneCollective Action Problem/Free Rider ProblemCollective Action Problem/Free Rider Problem Many goods are shared by whole publicMany goods are shared by whole public Why should you contribute to something if others do Why should you contribute to something if others do

not?not? System collapsesSystem collapses

Government offers a solution. Compel Government offers a solution. Compel Contribution to public projectsContribution to public projectsDebate about what goals government ought to Debate about what goals government ought to pursuepursue

LegitimacyLegitimacy

Why ought A government have control?Why ought A government have control?

ForceForce

Diving Right of KingsDiving Right of Kings

Consent of the governedConsent of the governed

DemocracyDemocracy

Rests on notion of consent of the Rests on notion of consent of the governedgoverned

Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy

Representative DemocracyRepresentative Democracy


Why Representation?Why Representation?

Direct democracy unwieldyDirect democracy unwieldy

Direct Democracy requires considerable Direct Democracy requires considerable citizen inputcitizen input

Direct Democracy not a cure allDirect Democracy not a cure all Same biases in society at large show selvesSame biases in society at large show selves May have a bias towards the status quoMay have a bias towards the status quo


Citizens delegate authorityCitizens delegate authority

Minimizes Requirements of Minimizes Requirements of knowledge/attentionknowledge/attention

Elections provide accountabilityElections provide accountability

Primarily retrospectivePrimarily retrospective

Clarity of message sent?Clarity of message sent?

Mandates?Mandates?

Representative Democracy and Representative Democracy and ElectionsElections

Elections Provide accountabilityElections Provide accountability

Popular consent- Source of legitimacyPopular consent- Source of legitimacy

Majority Rule-Majority of citizens (50%+1 Majority Rule-Majority of citizens (50%+1 vote) determine political outcomesvote) determine political outcomes Often replaced by a pluralityOften replaced by a plurality

Geographic RepresentationGeographic Representation

Single member districtsSingle member districts

CultureCultureCulture- Shared understandings, valuesCulture- Shared understandings, values

More basic and stable than general attitudesMore basic and stable than general attitudes

Political culture- Attitudes toward the political Political culture- Attitudes toward the political system and its various parts, and attitudes system and its various parts, and attitudes towards the role of self in the systemtowards the role of self in the system

Ecology->Culture->Socialization->Personality-Ecology->Culture->Socialization->Personality->Behavior (Triandis 1994)>Behavior (Triandis 1994)

Some history in Political ScienceSome history in Political Science

American Political CultureAmerican Political CultureNot perfect fit for every individualNot perfect fit for every individual

Not monolithicNot monolithic Regional differencesRegional differences Conflict within individualsConflict within individuals

IndividualisticIndividualistic

Personal libertyPersonal liberty

ToleranceTolerance

Religion?Religion?

American Political CultureAmerican Political Culture

Economic ValuesEconomic Values

CapitalismCapitalism

Protestant work ethicProtestant work ethic

MeritocracyMeritocracy


Americans are not callousAmericans are not callous

75% Increase Spending for Elderly75% Increase Spending for Elderly

65% Increase Spending for Health Care65% Increase Spending for Health Care

73% Increase Spending for Education73% Increase Spending for Education

71% Increase Spending for the 71% Increase Spending for the POORPOOR


DeservingnessDeservingness

Responsibility is a critical theme in American Responsibility is a critical theme in American PoliticsPolitics

Those who are seen as responsible for their own Those who are seen as responsible for their own plight generally seen as not deservingplight generally seen as not deserving

88%- Government Should help those who 88%- Government Should help those who CANNOT HELP THEMSELVESCANNOT HELP THEMSELVES

Recognition of broader forces as wellRecognition of broader forces as well

E.G. Effects of Recession?E.G. Effects of Recession?


Equality- “We hold these truths to be self Equality- “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal…” evident that all men are created equal…” JeffersonJefferson

Contested definitionsContested definitions

Equality before the lawEquality before the law

Equality of opportunityEquality of opportunity

Equality of outcomesEquality of outcomes


Value ConflictValue Conflict

Societal levelSocietal level Regional differencesRegional differences

Individual levelIndividual level Value Pluralism- Paul SnidermanValue Pluralism- Paul Sniderman

IdeologyIdeology

While culture widely shared, some differencesWhile culture widely shared, some differences

InterpretationInterpretation

Priority among valuesPriority among values

Liberal- generally supports active government Liberal- generally supports active government activism in ensuring equality, ensuring rightsactivism in ensuring equality, ensuring rights

Conservative- generally opposed to government Conservative- generally opposed to government intervention, support for more “traditional” valuesintervention, support for more “traditional” values

Ideology’s DimensionsIdeology’s Dimensions

Economic regulationEconomic regulation

Social RegulationSocial Regulation

Liberals- High Economic, Low SocialLiberals- High Economic, Low Social

Conservatives- Low Economic, High Conservatives- Low Economic, High SocialSocial

IdeologyIdeology

Paradox- Traditional conception Paradox- Traditional conception inconsistentinconsistent

Libertarianism/Fascism consistentLibertarianism/Fascism consistent

Perhaps Libertarianism future of ideologyPerhaps Libertarianism future of ideology

Ideology a worthwhile concept? Ideology a worthwhile concept?

Why Americans Hate GovernmentWhy Americans Hate Government ? ?

A Quick and Dirty History of A Quick and Dirty History of Colonial AmericaColonial America

1717thth Century England- Monarchy Century England- Monarchy

Anglican Church official churchAnglican Church official church

1620s Pilgrims land in Mass. seeking 1620s Pilgrims land in Mass. seeking religious freedomreligious freedom

Gradual settling by English of 13 original Gradual settling by English of 13 original coloniescolonies

English Continued to have official English Continued to have official authority, but large degree of autonomy. authority, but large degree of autonomy.

HistoryHistory

Development of colonies as important trading Development of colonies as important trading partnerpartner

Colonists largely thought of themselves as Colonists largely thought of themselves as EnglishEnglish

English provided military supportEnglish provided military support

No income taxNo income tax

Increased taxes on goods/servicesIncreased taxes on goods/services Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Quartering ActSugar Act, Stamp Act, Quartering Act

NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!

HistoryHistory

1776- 21776- 2ndnd Continental Congress adopts Continental Congress adopts Jefferson’s Declaration of IndependenceJefferson’s Declaration of IndependenceGrievances both economic and politicalGrievances both economic and political1777 Articles of Confederation1777 Articles of Confederation Loose constitutionLoose constitution Limited power of central governmentLimited power of central government Congress- Limited powers in foreign affairs, Congress- Limited powers in foreign affairs,

coining moneycoining money States retained most sovereigntyStates retained most sovereignty

HistoryHistory

Colonies eventually win War of Colonies eventually win War of IndependenceIndependenceContinue to function under Articles of Continue to function under Articles of ConfederationConfederationProblemsProblems Inability to collect taxes and pay war debtsInability to collect taxes and pay war debts No ability to back currencyNo ability to back currency No Judicial system to handle disputes No Judicial system to handle disputes

between statesbetween states

For TuesdayFor Tuesday

O’Connor and Sabato Ch 2O’Connor and Sabato Ch 2

Enduring Debate 1-34Enduring Debate 1-34

Pg. 11 Both QuestionsPg. 11 Both Questions

Page 34, question 1Page 34, question 1

First news monitoring reportFirst news monitoring report

Documents

American Political Culture. Government/Politics What is Political? What is Government The organization that holds a monopoly on legitimate violence in