Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Chapter 4 THE STRUCTURAL FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 “B-1 Bob” Learns About His District After nine consecutive terms, in 1996 Republican Congressman Bob Dornan lost to Democrat Loretta Sanchez. Dornan had not changed his platform: staunch support for more military spending, and attacks on immigrants, gays, feminists, and liberals. Why did he lose? Changing Demographics: California’s 46th District shifted from mostly white middle class to working class and minority in composition.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Growing Diversity Immigration Nativism

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Changing Location From urbanization to suburbanization Effects of population movement from rural areas to cities and from cities to suburbs Steady population movement to the west and south (the “Sun Belt”) as employment opportunities shifted

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Changing Jobs and Occupations Industrial Revolution Rise of blue-collar employment Rise of white-collar employment

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Income, Wealth, and Poverty Stagnation in living standards The angry middle class The fall and rise of poverty –concentrated among racial minorities and single-parent families –consequences: crime, drug use, disintegration of families

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Income, Wealth, and Poverty Rising inequality in income and wealth Implications for democracy: political equality undermined

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Triumph of the Industrial Corporation Numerous small and competitive enterprises before the Civil War After Civil War, economy increasingly industrialized and concentrated in giant enterprises Aside from a serious setback due to the Great Depression, the American economy and corporations grew impressively through the 1960s.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Temporary Fall from Grace 1970’s-1980’s: rate of U.S. economic growth began to fall behind W. Europe and Japan Consequences: –wages of blue-collar workers devastated –rise of protectionist sentiments

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Globalization and the American Economy American economy rebounds in 1990’s New global economy –integration of much of world into single market and production system –U.S. corporations as dominant actors scandals mergers –No decrease in inequality in America Will globalization slow?

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The United States in the International System 19th Century : isolationism Late 19th / early 20th centuries: America’s growing economic power brings global influence and increasingly turns its attention abroad

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The United States as a Superpower (I) World War II thrust the United States into a position of leadership. Within a decade of World War II, the United States stood as the unchallenged economic, political, and military power among the Western nations. Conflicts with the Soviet Union: Cold War Implications of America’s superpower status

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The United States as a Superpower (II) 1980’s-1990’s: dramatic changes in global political, military, and economic systems Soviet Union’s collapse leaves the U.S. as the world’s only military superpower. However, America’s military superiority does not translate into diplomatic success.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Foundation Beliefs of American Political Culture Competitive individualism: People are naturally competitive, always striving to better themselves in relation to others. –Americans tend to believe that an individual’s fate is tied to his or her own efforts. –Americans endorse the idea of equality of opportunity, but reject the idea that people should have equal rewards. –Competitive individualism is not common in most other modern capitalist nations.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Foundation Beliefs of American Political Culture Private Property and Free Enterprise –Americans tend to believe in the importance of private property and the efficiencies of the free market. Theoretical influences: –John Locke –Adam Smith

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Foundation Beliefs of American Political Culture Distrust of government: Government must be limited in its power and responsibilities. –Closely associated with the idea of individualism –Concern that a powerful government is likely to threaten individual rights –Belief in limited government is not common in most other modern capitalist nations.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Foundation Beliefs of American Political Culture This set of ideas about individualism, the free market, and limited government is known as Classical Liberalism. Most Americans favor private consumption over public services. Most citizens in other rich democracies believe that extensive and high-quality public services are part of the good society.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Citizenship and the Nature of the Political Order Democracy — one of the foundations of the American belief system, despite non-democratic features of American history Freedom and liberty — at the top of the list of American beliefs, and more strongly honored than elsewhere Populism — hostility of the common person to concentrated power (both political and economic), and the powerful Piety — Americans are much more religious than people in other rich democracies

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Structural Influences on American Politics Structural factors greatly influence political outcomes Currently, four structural factors are especially important: – the threat of terrorism –the emergence of the U.S. as the world’s single superpower –rapid technological change –changes in the demographics of the American population