1. American Political Culture
Chapter 4
American Political Culture

2. Learning Objectives What is American political culture?
How does political culture differ from political ideology?
Does the United States have a unique political culture compared to other advanced industrialized democracies?
Do Americans trust their government?
Why do Americans accept great differences in wealth and income?
Why does the American government behave differently than governments in countries with similar constitutions?
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3. Introduction WHO GOVERNS? TO WHAT ENDS?
1. Do Americans trust their government?
2. Why do we accept great differences in wealth and income?
TO WHAT ENDS?
1. Why does our government behave differently than governments in countries with similar constitutions?
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4. Political Culture
Political culture: a patterned and sustained way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out
Americans believe strongly in political equality
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5. Political Culture
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Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America, a profound analysis of our political culture.
The Granger Collection

6. Political Culture
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Underwood & Underwood/CORBIS
At the height of immigration to this country, there was a striking emphasis on creating a shared political culture. Schoolchildren, whatever their national origin, were taught to salute this country’s flag.
Underwood & Underwood/CORBIS

7. Political Culture The Political System Liberty Equality Democracy
Civic duty
Individual responsibility
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How would you define “Americanism?”

8. Political Culture
Three questions concerning the American political system:
How do we know that the American people share these beliefs?
How can we explain the existence in our society of behavior that is obviously in conflict with these beliefs?
Why has there been so much political conflict in our history?
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9. Political Culture The Economic System Judged by similar standards
Tolerate economic inequality
Support economic individualism and personal responsibility
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What is symbolic racism? How does it apply to economic values?

10. How We Compare: Comparing America with Other Nations
The Political System
Americans exhibit
Stronger sense of civic duty
Stronger sense of civic competence
Confidence in public institutions
High confidence in private institutions
Patriotism
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11. Attitudes in the USA and Other Democracies
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Table 4.1
Source: © 2006 by Andrew Kohut and Bruce Stokes. Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt and Company, LLC and the Pew Research Center.

12. Political Culture in America and Other Democracies
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Figure 4.1
Sources: World Values Survey Wave 4; International Social Survey Program National Identity Module II (2003–2004).

13. How We Compare: Comparing America with Other Nations
The Economic System
Americans support
Equality of opportunity
No limits on income
Freedom (more than equality)
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14. How We Compare: Comparing America with Other Nations
The Civic Role of Religion
U.S. among most religious nations
Affects U.S. politics
First Great Awakening
Abolitionist and temperance movements
Support for civil rights
Christian Coalition
Funding for faith-based nonprofits
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15. Americans’ Beliefs about Religion, 2012
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Table 4.2
Source: Pew Forum for Research on Religion and Public Life, “Nones” on the Rise: One-in-Five Adults Have No Religious Affiliation , October 9, 2012, p. 22.

16. The Sources of Political Culture
Personal liberty vs. social control
Class consciousness
The Culture War
Orthodox
Progressive
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17. Mistrust of Government
Trust declining in officials
Only 13% have trust in Congress
But trust remains in system of government
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Source: Gallup Poll

18. Trust in the Federal Government, 1958-2013
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Source: Data for compiled from the American National Election Studies (ANES); data for
compiled from the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) Survey, September 2011; data for 2013 is from the
Pew Research Center, February 2013

19. Confidence in American Institutions
1973
2013
Churches
66%
48%
Public Schools 58 32
Newspapers 39 23
Labor unions 30 20
Big business 26 22
Congress 42 10
The military 76
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Table 4.3
Source: Gallup Poll

20. New Polling Shows Public Disapproval for the President and Congress
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21. New Polling Shows Public Disapproval for the President and Congress
Taking a closer look:
Have you lost confidence in your elected representative? Does he or she represent your political views? What about Congress as a whole?
Why do Americans tolerate economic inequality, but not political inequality?
What is our most important political value? Is it demonstrated by Congress?
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22. Mistrust of Government
Civil Society
More important as trust in government declines
Importance of social capital
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Civil society is voluna

23. The American Civic Health Index
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Figure 4.3
Source: 2010 Civic Health Assessment: Executive Summary, “Involvement by Group Membership,” Washington, D.C.: National Conference on Citizenship. (September 2010), p. 3. Used by permission.

24. Political Tolerance Democracy requires civic tolerance
Discussion of ideas
Selection of leaders
Usually no agreement on intolerance
Courts enforce constitutional protections
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There have been times (1919 to 1920, and again in the early 1950s) when socialists and communists were disliked by most people in the United States.

25. Political Tolerance
U.S. political culture fosters civic duty, upholds constitutional protections and supports civil liberties
Political equality most important value
Adversarial political system
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