1. POLITICAL CULTURE Paradox: diversity and unity
Ethnic and religious heterogeneity
Relative homegeneity of political beliefs (Samuel Huntington and others have said)

2. What is the American political culture
What is the American political culture?/set of values widely shared by American citizens?
1. Liberty (freedom – see first amendment: freedom speech, religion, assembly) – freedom “from”
2. Egalitarianism (Declaration of Independence – “all men created equal”, but equality of opportunity not outcome

3. 3. Individualism – related to #1 (liberty) – individuals should be free to get ahead on their own, aversion to control by government (distrust of government, particularly central government)
4. Laissez faire (both in government and in markets – leave citizens and businesses alone)

4. 5. Populism – “government of, for, by the people – (Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, also Pat Buchanan, Ronald Reagan – “get government off the backs of the people”

5. Elements of American political culture – What makes us Americans?
Individuals have rights
Individuals are equal under law
Gov’t must be limited to protect rights
State as instrument for serving individuals
Rule of Law/Constitutionalism
Joining
Faith (despite separation of church & state)

6. Consensus theory: Americans share a consensus on basic political beliefs
DeTocqueville (French – 1830s) – social and political equality
Louis Hartz (American – 1950s) – the dark side of the ‘liberal consensus’ –dangers of unanimity of political thought

7. Critique of Unified political culture/consensus theory
1. Alternative philosophies/beliefs
(e.g. socialism, communism)
2. Inegalitarian beliefs – white supremacism, etc.
3. Different cultures within American states, regions – Daniel Elazar (1970s):
Traditionalist, Moralist, and individualist cultures

8. Defense of unified, coherent political culture
Compare political beliefs of American citizens to beliefs of citizens from other nations
This shows there is a clear commonality of beliefs that distinguishes us from other nations, including other advanced industrial democracies

9. U.S. 29% Australia 44% West Germany 61% U.K. 64% Netherlands 65%
Percentage who agree: “Government should provide everyone with a guaranteed basic income.”
U.S. 29%
Australia 44%
West Germany 61%
U.K. 64%
Netherlands 65%
Italy 81%
Percentage who agree: “Government should provide everyone with a guaranteed basic income.”

10. Percent who agree that “government should provide a decent standard of living for the unemployed”
U.S. 21%
Australia 38%
Netherlands 50%
U.K. 65%
West Germany 66%
Italy 68%
Percent who agree: “Government should provide a decent standard of living for the unemployed.”

11. U.S. 72% Australia 61% Italy 45% Germany 40% Britain 37%
Percent who agree “The way things are in my country, people like me and my family have a good chance of improving our standard of living.”
U.S. 72%
Australia 61%
Italy 45%
Germany 40%
Britain 37%
Percent who agree “The way things are in my country, people like me and my family have a good chance of improving our standard of living.”

12. Sources of liberal political culture
Political socialization
Self selection of immigrants
Institutions create culture (Government designed by Founding Fathers to be inefficient - this makes people distrust government. Government not as “generous” here as in some other countries – people have to make it more on their own – fosters individualism.