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AP AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

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Unit One

Part 3

Political Culture,

Ideology, and

Structure

Defining the American Political Culture

• LO 7.1 Identify the most important elements of and sources for the American political culture.

Political Attitudes and Ideology

• LO 7.2 Compare and contrast political ideologies and

evaluate the critiques of each ideology.

American Political Culture and Ideology

Objectives:

Political Ideology and the American People

• LO 7.3 Assess the importance of political ideology and contemporary American politics.

• Defining the American Political Culture

• Political Ideology and Attitudes Toward Government

• Political Ideology and the American People

American Political Culture and Ideology

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Political Ideology

Political ideology: a consistent pattern of ideas or beliefs about political values and the role of government

Go to the World’s Shortest Political Quiz at:

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz/quiz.php

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Political Spectrum

100%

Personal Freedom

100%

EconomicFreedom

100% Freedom

0% Freedom

LO 7.1

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Defining the American Political

Culture

LO 7.1 Identify the most important elements of

and sources for the American political culture.

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

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Political CulturePolitical CulturePolitical CulturePolitical CulturePolitical Culture: shared beliefs and values citizens hold about their relationship to government and to one another.Copyright © 4 | 7

What are Americans

common political values?

The Declaration of Independence1776

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Political CulturePolitical CulturePolitical CulturePolitical CulturePolitical Culture: shared beliefs and values citizens hold about their relationship to government and to one another.Copyright © 4 | 9

What are Americans

common political values?

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American Political Values

Liberty/FreedomLiberty/FreedomLiberty/FreedomLiberty/FreedomIndividualismIndividualismIndividualismIndividualismEqualityEqualityEqualityEqualityOpportunityOpportunityOpportunityOpportunityNatural Rights Natural Rights Natural Rights Natural Rights Popular SovereigntyPopular SovereigntyPopular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty

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American Political CultureAssertion of individual rightsEmphasis on fairness and competitionA shared commitment to individualismBelief that government is responsible to the citizensStrong belief in equalityCopyright © 4 | 11

Equality, but . . .Americans generally believe more strongly in political than in economic equalityAmericans believe in equality of opportunity but not necessarily equality of resultsAmericans support the free market, but do believe in some limits Copyright © 4 | 12

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What is The American

Dream?

Defining the American Political

Culture

LO 4.1

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Read “The New American Dream: It’s not What You Think.” at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-levin/the-new-american-dream-

it_b_3874015.html

Figure 4.1: Trust in the Federal Government, 1968-2009

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University of Michigan, The National Election Studies.

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Mistrust of GovernmentIncreased mistrust since the 1960sCauses: Watergate, Vietnam War, Clinton impeachment, Iraq WarConfidence in government changes, but not confidence in American SystemCopyright © 4 | 16

Civic DutyCivic Duty:Civic Duty:Civic Duty:Civic Duty: a belief that citizens SHOULD participate in governmentCopyright © 4 | 17

Civic CompetenceCivic competence:Civic competence:Civic competence:Civic competence: a belief that citizens CAN affect government policiesCopyright © 4 | 18

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Political Efficacy

Political efficacy: citizen’s belief in their

UNDERSTANDING of political issues

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Figure 4.3: Changes in Political Efficacy, 1960-2008

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University of Michigan, The National Election Studies.

Results of American Political Culture:Low voter turnout“Blind” or misinformed/uninformed votingSingle-issue votingImage/personality voting

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2000

Presidential

Voting

Political Spectrum*

100%

Personal Freedom

100%

EconomicFreedom

100% Freedom

0% Freedom

*rotate the graph to read it more clearly!

• READ THE TITLE!• READ THE AXES!

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Two Main “Camps”Liberal:Liberal:Liberal:Liberal:• Economic Regulation: a belief that

government should achieve justice and

equality of opportunity

• Social Freedom: personal freedom is as, or more, important than tradition; rules change based on circumstances of modern life and individual preferencesCopyright © 4 | 26

Conservative:

• Economic Freedom: a belief that limited

government ensures order, competitive

markets, and personal opportunity

• Social Regulation: morality is as, or more, important than self-expression; morality derives from fixed rulesLO 4.2

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Two Main “Camps”

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Criticisms of Liberalism•It relies too much on government, higher taxes,

and bureaucracy to solve the nation’s problems. •Reliance on government can destroy

individualism.

Political Ideology and Attitudes

Toward Government

LO 4.2

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Criticisms of Conservatism• Focus on deregulation and lower taxes has not

always worked: economic collapse in 2008.• Conservatives tend to favor more government

action on their issues but not on the issues of others.

• Some conservatives fail to recognize the

existence of racism and sexism.

Political Ideology and Attitudes

Toward Government

LO 4.2

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