PSCN 110: Introduction to American Government American Political Culture Notes from: Fiorina, Peterson, Voss; Dresang and Gosling

Political Culture (Dresang and Gosling, pp. 23) Definition: “Set of fundamental beliefs about politics and government” Shaped by our history, patterns of immigration, patterns of inter- regional migration, religious orientations Key point: political culture refers to that set of beliefs and expectations about:  How government should operate (i.e., the kinds of things government should be involved in).  The proper relationship between government and the people (What does government owe me; what do I owe government?) What type of public programs should government create and operate? Should I and how might I participate in politics and government?

Important terminology Classical liberalism  Authority to govern comes from consent of the people (rather than from God) – social contract idea (Locke and Rousseau)  Citizens accept certain responsibilities and limitations on behavior in exchange for protection of certain rights and liberties (e.g., physical security, property, political engagement)  Rejection of claim that human beings are inclined to rule beneficently; constitutionally guaranteed rights and liberties are essential (Why? Because those in positions of power may have evil intentions)  Society / political community is created by individuals (not the other way around)

What does a classically liberal government look like?  Small government, limited in its authorities by the rights and liberties of individuals  Government exists only to protect the liberties and rights of the individual; government is not in and of itself a good thing Classically liberal ideals – political (but not economic) equality, natural rights, limited government, individualism

Exercise: Classical Liberalism, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution Identify language from Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution reflecting the ideas embraced by classical liberalism.

Civil republicanism  Idea that competed with classical liberalism  Emphasized the ideas of virtue and actions consistent with the public good  Less emphasis on individualism (a measure of self-denial is a good thing)  Similar idea: communitarianism = freedom occurs in its highest form when members of a community work together to solve common problems

American individualism  see Figure 4.2, Figure 4.3 in Fiorina, Peterson, Voss Americans do not embrace guarantees of economic equality or guaranteed standards of living  See figure 4.4 in Fiorina, Peterson, and Voss Americans demonstrate confidence in the benefits of hard work, seeing America as the “land of opportunity”  Rich and poor alike embrace ideas of personal responsibility

 Figure 4.5 in Fiorina, Peterson, and Voss Racial minorities embrace individualistic values Curiosity: Those least likely to live “the American dream” nonetheless adopt its underlying assumptions (that with hard work, anyone can be successful)

Elazar’s typology of political cultures in the American states Individualistic - politics is a way to improve one’s personal circumstances; use government to support the private marketplace Moralistic – government should create policy/programs to improve lives of citizens; high voter turnout; grassroots movements; relatively high political awareness Traditionalistic – use government to protect the interests of traditional elites; low voter turnout; low citizen awareness comparatively little political activity

Ideology – American style  Basic lens through which a person views government and politics  Collection of orientations a person uses to impose order on a complicated political world In many senses, ideology serves as a “short-cut” to a position on an issue or policy question  Karl Manheim “particular” ideologies = grows out of a specific set of interests or preferences  Examples: modern liberals, conservatives, libertarians  Typically reflects how a person orients to social issues and government’s role in solving social problems / regulating behavior “total” ideologies = reflect the basis of one’s existence; the entire framework of one’s existence  Example: Americans  liberal ideology (classical liberalism)

American liberal ideology (influenced by the European enlightenment)  Math and experimental science = improved lives  Property rights  Limited government; laissez-faire approach  Dignity of the individual  Observe nature’s rules  gets one closer to God  Power of observation as well as logic Hence, Jefferson’s “self-evident” conclusions in the Dec. of Independence

Explaining American liberalism  Apparent contradiction America is diverse – yet we share a common political culture. How could this be?  Early American settlers tended to share a common economic status (i.e., middle class)  American settlers found much land, scarcity of labor – thus, ambitious people could succeed  American political institutions preserve the ideas that created them (political institutions sluggish to change)  Self-selection – those who came to America came seeking a liberal tradition; only individualists would leave familiar surroundings and family in Europe to come to America  Bottom line: immigration and diversity does not threatened core American values (and may even strengthen them)

Why a Liberal Political Culture? Traditional Explanations  Early Americans trace come from the European “middle class” – take classical liberalism to be essentially correct  Plentiful supply of land; scarcity of labor (i.e., hard working industrious people could “get ahead” as market economy thrives) – reinforces individualistic values  Political socialization – perpetuates the value consensus established in the 18 th century

More recent explanations  Steinmo – the institutions that once embraced classically liberal values now generate those values Government serves special interests; individual citizens learn to rely on themselves because government is not sufficiently responsive Immigrants with individualistic values “self-select” their way into the U.S., reinforcing classical liberalism (this explanation indicates that there is no conflict between immigration and what are often called American values)

The Data:  Immigration Figure 4.2 (p. 95)  American Individualism Figure 4.3 (p. 99) Figure 4.4 (p. 100) Figure 4.5 (p. 101) Figure 4.6 (p. 101)  Religion Figure 4.7 (p. 103)

In-class exercise Political Compass  Where do you stand?