Political Culture How it changes

Recap: Political culture is one of several factors which influence how institutions operate, how political processes play out: Political culture is a source both of problems and resources to solve them

Mass political culture: Attitudes and orientations toward leadership influence the support which different kinds of leaders (elected or un-elected) will enjoy Degree of homogeneity or fragmentation (e.g. presence or absence of distinct identities, subcultures) influences the agenda of politics, the problems with which political leaders and the system must cope

Nigeria: governing an ethnically and religiously divided society Problems of heterogeneity North: Muslim East & West: more western, more Christian Different tribes and peoples throughout Long periods of military rule: 1969-1979 1983-1995 Rampant corruption, clientelism under both civilian and military rule

Building democracy in Russia & other former Soviet Republics: Legacies of Communism: Egalitarian ideology but unequal system Experience of indoctrination and mobilization from above Minimal experience in operating either a market economy or a liberal democracy

Sources of change: Impact of events – war, invasion, economic crisis Impact of politics and politicians, positive and negative - can create greater or lesser trust, hostility Social and economic change – emergence of new classes or groups Impact of time and acculturation

Remaking German political culture: Imperial Germany (1871-1918) A fragmented and divided society prevailing values authoritarian

The Weimar Republic (1918-1933) democratic regime, established following surrender highly fragmented lacked legitimacy: some groups supported it, others tolerated it, but few loved it aristocracy, business elites, military fail to support regime when it was challenged totalitarian regime established by legal means

Postwar Germany Occupied, divided into 4 occupation zones Liberal democratic regime established in the three Western zones Communist regime in the eastern (Soviet) zone Problem for both east and west: how to establish new regimes in a country which had given fervent support to Nazism

Solutions: German Democratic Republic (DDR) See Nazism as an aberration of capitalism The solution is Communism: if you remake end capitalism, you end Nazism As a result minimal de-nazification undertaken

Federal Republic of Germany Remaking Political Culture: Basic Law establishes liberal democratic order West Germans initially quiescent, accepting… proud of economic achievements Holocaust eventually acknowledged dealt with in schools Political system gains acceptance, in part because of economic success, stability, integration into Europe

Contemporary Germany: Problem of bringing together east and west Different experience of ‘Ossies’ and ‘Wessies’ Problem of who belongs: East v west Immigrants and refugees Question of Germany’s role in the world

Contrasts between Germany and Austria Austria’s self image as victim Limited de-nazification Reluctance to come to terms with Holocaust Today: far greater support for parties of the right

Remaking political culture in countries transiting to democracy: What does it take to remake elite political culture? What does it take to remake mass political culture – if it has to be remade?

Some questions Has Canadian political culture changed over the last 30-50 years? What is constant and what is not?

One to think about: How has Newfoundland and Labrador political culture changed? Is it the same as it was 30 or 50 years ago? What would your parents or grandparents say? If it has changed, what caused it? What are the sources of these changes?

Have a nice thanksgiving and a good break