1. Part Two: Political Culture in Canada – The Context of Ideas
September 27th, 2001

2. POLITICAL CULTURE: What is It?
value consensus regarding the appropriate method of making political decisions and the appropriate spheres subject to political decision-making
constitution (formal rules of the game)/political culture (operational rules of the game)

3. POLITICAL CULTURE: What is It?
CHARACTERISTICS
consensus -- not monolith
mixing of different ideologies/philosophies
political culture as a range
enduring -- not transitory
evolving – not frozen

4. POLITICAL CULTURE: Why is It Important?
does not determine specific political outcomes
defines the range of legitimate political processes
how decisions are made
defines the range of possible political outcomes
what decisions are made

5. POLITICAL CULTURE: What is It?
PROCESS
elitist
participatory

6. POLITICAL CULTURE: What is It?
outcomes
the relative balance between the individual and the community
focus on equality vs. acceptance of inequalities

7. The Left/Right Ideological Spectrum
The Left – social democratic
The Right – neo-conservative
More Gov’t
Less Gov’t
emphasis on the common good/collective well-being
community must be more important than the individual
allowing individuals to pursue their own self interest will result in the greatest common good
community is only made up of individuals

8. The Left/Right Ideological Spectrum
The Left – social democratic
The Right – neo-conservative
More Gov’t
Less Gov’t
government regulation of the economy
policies to redistribute income
policies to help disadvantaged groups
free markets
fewer government regulations/lower taxes
no special treatment for special interest groups

9. IDEOLOGIES Accept Inequality
Red Tory (conservative), social conservatives
neo-conservative, neo-liberal US
Individual Liberty
General Welfare
Canada
Social Democratic
Equality