1. Do Now  What are the things that shape your political beliefs? 1

2. 2 Reference: All photos are copied from Google Images

3. Focus Questions 3 Who Governs? 1. Do Americans trust their government? 2.Why do we accept great difference in wealth and income? To What Ends? 1. Why does our government behave differently than governments in countries with similar constitutions?

4. Learning Objectives 1. Define what scholars mean by political culture, and list some of the dominate aspects of political culture in the United States. 2. Discuss how American citizens compare with those of other countries in their political attitudes. 3. List the contributions to United States political culture made by the Revolution, by the nation’s religious heritage, and by the family. Explain the apparent absence of class consciousness in the U.S. 4. Define internal and external political efficacy, and explain how the level of each of these has varied over the past generations. 4

5. Political Culture 5 A distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out For example, Americans generally believe more strongly in political than in economic equality. Why????

6. Elements of the American View of the Political System 6 1. Liberty–rights 2. Equality–equal vote; equal chance to participate and succeed 3. Democracy–government is accountable to the people 4. Civic duty–take community affairs seriously and become involved when possible 5. Individual responsibility – individuals responsible for their own actions and well-being

7. Questions About the U.S. Political Culture 7 1.How do we know people share these beliefs? 2.How do we explain behavior inconsistent with these beliefs? 3.Why is there so much political conflict in U.S. history 4.Is equal opportunity the same is equal ability?

8. Beliefs about the Economy 8 1. Americans support free enterprise, but support some limits on marketplace freedom 2. Americans believe in equality of opportunity but not equality of result 3. Americans have a widely shared commitment to economic individualism

9. Civic Duty and Competence 9 1. Civic duty: a belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs 2. Civic competence: a belief that one can affect government policies

10. Comparing America with other Nations AMERICANSSWEDESJAPANESE Tend to assert rightsDefer government to experts and specialists Value good relations with colleagues Emphasize individualism, competition, equality, following rules, treating others fairly, but impersonally Believe in what is best more than what people want Emphasize group decisions and social harmony Acknowledge flaws, very proud of their nationality, willing to fight for their country Value equality as much as (or more than) liberty Respect hierarchy 10 Americans are highly religious compared to Europeans Religious beliefs have played an important role in American politics Both liberals and conservatives have and do use the pulpit to promote political change

11. Attitudes Towards Economic Equality 11

12. Do Now  Explain how the following factors shape political belief. 1. History 2. Legal-Sociological Factors 3. The Culture War 4. Mistrust of Government 5. Political Efficacy 6. Political tolerance  Use your textbook as home base. Specifically, Chapter 4. 12

13. Sources of Political Culture 13 1.Historical Roots 2.Legal-Sociological Factors 3.The Culture War 4.Mistrust of Government 5.Political Efficacy 6.Political tolerance.

14. Historical Roots 1. American Revolution was over liberty – asserting rights 2. Constitution, thought, dealt with other issues as well; it was an effort to reconcile personal liberty with social control 3. Adversarial culture -due to distrust of authority and a belief that human nature is depraved 4. Federalist – Jeffersonian transition in 1800 – reconciling the need and the suspicion of government. Legitimated the role of the opposition party, demonstrating that liberty and political change can co-exist 14

15. Legal-Sociological Factors 15 1.Widespread (not universal) participation permitted by Constitution 2. Absence of an established national religion a. Religious diversity a source of cleavage b. Absence of established religion has facilitated the absence of political orthodoxy c. Puritan heritage (dominant tradition) stress on personal achievement: (1) Work (2) Save money (3) Obey secular law (4) Do good works (5) Embrace "Protestant ethic" (work ethic)

16. Legal-Sociological Factors Continued…. 16 d. Miniature political systems produced by churches' congregational organization, so civic and political skills could develop 3. Family instills the ways we think about world and politics a. Greater freedom of children and equality among family members leads to belief in rights and acceptance of diverse views in decision-making 4. High degree of class consciousness absent a. Most people consider themselves middle class b. Even unemployed do not oppose management c. Message of Horatio Alger stories is still popular

17. The Culture War 1. Two cultural classes in America battle over values 2. Culture war differs from political disputes in three ways: a. Money is not at stake b. Compromises are almost impossible c. Conflict is more profound 3. Culture conflict animated by deep differences in people's beliefs about private and public morality 4. Culture war about what kind of country we ought to live in 5. Simplify by identifying two camps a. Orthodox: morality more important than self-expression with fixed rules from God (Conservative Protestants) b. Progressive: personal freedom more important than tradition with changing rules based on circumstances of modern life (Liberal Protestants)

18. Mistrust of Government 18 There is evidence that mistrust has increased since the late 1950s Causes: Watergate, the Vietnam War and Clinton impeachment Public confidence is likely flow with circumstances No dramatic change in confidence in Americans Source: Wilson, J. & Dilulio, J. American Government. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York: 2008.

19. Political Efficacy 19 A. Definition: citizen's capacity to understand and influence political events B. Parts 1. Internal efficacy a. Confidence in one's ability to understand and influence events b. About the same as in 1950s 2. External efficacy a. Belief that system will respond to citizens b. Not shaped by particular events c. Declined steadily through 1960s and 1970s d. Government becoming too big to respond to individual C. Comparison: efficacy still much higher than Europeans' D. Conclusion: Americans today may not be more alienated but simply more realistic

20. Political Tolerance 20 A. Crucial to democratic politics 1. Free discussion of ideas 2. Select rulers without oppression B. Levels of American political tolerance 1. Most Americans assent in abstract but would deny rights in concrete cases 2. Most are willing to allow expression by those with whom they disagree 3. Becoming more tolerant in recent decades C. Question: How do very unpopular groups survive? 1. Most people do not act on beliefs 2. Officeholders and activists more tolerant than general public 3. Usually no consensus exists on whom to persecute 4. Courts are sufficiently insulated from public opinion to enforce protection D. Conclusions 1. Political liberty cannot be taken for granted 2. No group should pretend it is always more tolerant than another

21. The Way Ahead….  Read Chapter 4 in the Wilson Textbook 21