6-6 Chapter 4 Political Ideologies

American Political Ideologies American Political Culture Political Ideology Liberalism Conservatism Challenges to the Status Quo

American Political Culture Culture - values, traditions, language, religion and material objects that together form a people’s way of life. Political culture - patterned set of consistent generally accepted ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics. American Creed Homogeneous or heterogeneous - multicultural societies

From Political Values to Ideology A political ideology is a set of underlying orientations, ideas, and beliefs about the role of government in our lives. Liberals generally support social reform and a social safety net. Conservatives generally prefer the social and economic status quo and equal opportunity.

Liberalism Regards the individual as a rational being capable of overcoming obstacles to a better world. Supports changing the status quo. Support labor, welfare programs and oppose laws encroaching on civil liberties or rights. Over the last 225 years there have been several different forms of liberalism in U.S. politics. Social Contract Theorists – emphasis on goodness of man and a utopian view of future.

Conservatism Established customs, laws and traditions should guide government and society. Opposes change to the political and economic status quo, seek to preserve family values and free enterprise. As with liberalism there have been numerous changes to key ideas and policy issues within the conservative ideology. Stress equal opportunity for all through a competitive political and economic structure.

One Dimensional Political Spectrum RadicalLiberalModerateConservativeReactionary Left WingCenter Right Wing Status Quo

Many Faces of Political Ideologies in the U.S. Liberalism Classic Populism Progressivism Contemporary Neoliberalism Conservatism Early American Industrial Age Contemporary Neoconservatism Extremes Democratic Socialism New Right Libertarianism

6-6 The Political Ideological Group Spectrum

Four Ideologies Equality Results Individualism Liberty Order Equality Opportunity Liberalism LibertarianismConservatism Populism

David Nolan Ideology Graph Libertarian Expansion to 3 Dimensions

The Normal Distribution of the American Electorate

The NES American Electorate

Political Ideologies 2004 Election - 21% Liberal 45% Moderate 34% Conservative