Political Behavior Who Votes and Why?

Democracy depends on its people  1800s ended religious qualifications, property qualifications and taxes  15 th Amendment extended voting to African-Americans  19 th Amendment extended voting to women  1960s passage of Civil and Voting Rights, plus 23 rd and 24 th Amendment expanded suffrage  26 th Amendment lowers voting age  Yet, people don’t vote…Why?

Idiotes  Greek for ignorant or unwise person, an individual not interested in public affairs  Many of the reasons they don’t vote is, today, people lack political efficacy

Why Voter Turnout is Low? Theories  Widespread apathy and ignorance of the issues  No belief in political efficacy-they won’t make a difference  Absence of riveting national issues  Negative campaigning  Campaign season is too long and elections too frequent

Who Participates? Political Socialization Socialization Factors Psychological Factors  Family: learn political i.d.  Education: emphasizes citizenship- questioning authority  Peer groups  Media-the new parent  Income-understand issues better  Religion  Race  Gender-women vote more especially if issues are about war, defense or human rights  Age  Geography: lower in southern states and higher in northern, northeast states  Party Identification  Candidates and the Issues  Political Events: Vietnam War, 9/11, Iraq War, Debt crises

Socialization develops ideology-ideas based on what you want from your government  Four Major Political Ideologies  Classical Liberalism  Libertarianism  Conservatism  Populists

Classical Liberalism  Government should stay out of the peoples’ business because government is almost always oppressive (Jefferson)  Industrial Revolution changes this meaning because it restricts individual autonomy-wage labor did not allow for achievement of the liberal idea of an autonomous individual  Government was seen as a way of promoting individual development through wage and work regulations; government should liberate people from poverty, oppression, and economic exploitation  Outside of economic realm, government should leave the people alone or promote individual liberties  Liberals believe in solving problems collectively through government, provide for economic well-being of the nation, tolerance of various lifestyles, non-interventionist foreign policy, strong but economical defense

Libertarianism  They embrace most aspects of classical liberalism, but emphasize the autonomy of the individual and the minimal role of the government in all spheres of life  Usually reject any regulation of private matters such as religion, morality or conscience  Libertarian views have tended to be ignored until recently  Due to increase in the general level of education, mass media, affluence  Increased polarization of Democrats and Republicans  Libertarians tend to believe in: protection of property and the freedom of the individual, no government intervention in the economy, non-intervention in foreign affairs

Conservatism  Traditional conservatism takes society as a whole, not the individual, as the fundamental entity to be protected  There is no such thing as the individual,  Human beings are marred by original sin, are selfish and need moral guidance, and can’t be trusted by themselves  American conservatism in its early stages was Alexander Hamilton, who mistrusted the American people and sought to establish a strong government that would promote economic stability and favor the privileged

Conservatism  After the industrial age, conservatives called for the government to stay out of economic affairs and allow businesses to follow their actions  Humans do not have the capacity to plan for the economic future  Economic inequality is a natural outcome of inequality of human ability- taking wealth from those who have it undermines initiative  Focus on what is good for the economy as a whole, not the individual  Conservatives emphasize order-no problem restricting individual liberties in favor of common sense or morality  Conservatives believe in: reducing spending on social programs, reduction of taxes to encourage economic growth, strong military defense, little action to redress gender and racial discrimination, assertive foreign policy, acceptance of moderate welfare state

Populists (economic liberals)  An outgrowth of industrialism, tend to embrace many liberal ideals of private property and individualism and the economy has not provided those to enough people  They favor economic intervention on behalf of the common man  Tend to reject the changes in social values and mores that came with industrialization-want to preserve more traditional social values, and are willing to use the government to achieve that purpose  Populists believe in: programs to provide for the economic well-being of small business and the common man, reducing spending on social programs, reduction of taxes to encourage economic growth, noninterventionist foreign policy, return to the values of the past, mistrust of foreign competition

American ideology LiberalsConservatives Military spendingSpend lessSpend more Use of forceLess willing to commitMore likely to support AbortionSupport for freedom of choice Right to life Affirmative actionFavorOppose Scope of governmentGovernment is a regulator in the public interest Favor free-market solution TaxesTax the rich moreKeep taxes low SpendingSpend moreSpend lower Cutting crimeSolve the problems that cause crimes Stop coddling criminals