Ideology and Public Opinion Ideology and Public Opinion 15 October, 2007

Review: The American Political System Designed to protect against majority rule and protect minority rights Examples Viewed in comparative perspective

Nature and Acquisition of Opinions and Values Process by which one acquires values and develops opinions is called socialization. Agents of socialization Family and Friends School News media Lifetime Learning: new jobs, new friends, new neighborhoods

Ideology A package of ideas, a way of organizing one’s thinking about political issues and leaders. Anchored by core values that serve to structure other ideas

Liberal vs. conservative A core value that distinguishes them and influences their positions on a variety of issues is whether government should actively promote individual equality. Liberals [in the United States] favor active government intervention to promote equality of outcomes/results flat rate vs. regressive rate income tax vs. sales tax Conservatives believe that government should be limited to ensuring equality of opportunities in economic matter. In social matters, however, conservatives favor a more expansive role for government

American Individualism Figure 4.2 Percentage saying they “completely agree” with the following statement: “It is the responsibility of the state to take care of very poor people who can’t take care of themselves”

Right vs. Left Direction comes from French political tradition Those who generally supported the policies of the monarch were seated to his right and those who proposed changes in the system were arranged to his left. At the extremes individuals are extremely dissatisfied and want revolutionary change

Opinions about Federal Spending Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Opinions about Federal Spending Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Opinions about Federal Spending Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Views of Ideological Groups Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Views of Groups by Ideology Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Views of Institutions by Ideology Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Views of Interest Groups Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Interpersonal Trust Source: American National Election Study (NES) 2002

Distribution of Ideology over time Conservative Moderate Liberal Source: American National Election Studies (1972-2004)

Who are the Liberals? Poor Low Education Low Strata Occupation Minority Urban Jew, Catholic Democrats

Who are the Conservatives? Wealthy High Education High Status Occupation White Suburban Protestant Republican

Red and Blue States (2004 Presidential Election)

Another Way of Looking at the Distribution of Votes

Culture War? Fiorina argues that the ideological disputes that engage political elites and activists have little resonance among the American mass public Ordinary 21st century Americans “are not very well-informed about politics, do not hold many of their views very strongly, and are not ideological” (p. 19).

Culture War? Fiorina’s characterization of Americans as uninterested and non-ideological may apply very well to the large number of Americans who rarely or never vote. However, it may not apply as well to regular voters, and it is voters whose opinions are of greatest concern to candidates and elected officials.

Distribution of Voters on Liberal-Conservative Issues Scale

Distribution of Non Voters on Liberal-Conservative Issues Scale

Percentage of voters donating money to a party or candidate by ideology

Polarization Electoral competition in the United States now appears to be structured by ideology The American public appears to be increasingly divided into two groups: the politically engaged, who view politics in ideological terms, and the politically disengaged, who do not.