Chapter 2 - Political Culture Flashcards
Political Culture in Broad Strokes
Very difficult to define
In geographically and ethnically diverse countries it’s hard to say anything about the whole.
Macro v Micro cultures are a good way to study.
Macro = the south believes this, the west coast this
Micro = within those states are city centres, suburbs, rural areas, etc.
Zorbas’ super generalized and exasperating claims about American and Canadian political culture
We like stability and order but they like individual freedom
Materialist vs Post-Materialist Values
Materialists are focused on the economic ends meeting.
Post-materialists are concerned with intangibles like freedom and quality of life.
Formative Events Theory
Seymour Lipset
Cultures are influenced by formative events.
Revolution, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Cold War, Watergate
Fragment vs Formative = Nature vs Nurture
Fragment Theory
Colonized countries’ political cultures are most influenced by the fragment of the population that moved to them from their homeland.
America was not just a microcosm of Britain, but the middle-income people who didn’t have a wealthy life.
Frontier Thesis
Frederick Turner
America was fundamentally shaped by the reality of the frontier.
Frontier outpaced the civilizing efforts of government, you couldn’t rely on them.
This created an individualist, self-help culture.
Frontier closing is now a metaphor (Space, globalization, etc.)
3 Theories of Origins of American Political Culture
Frontier Thesis - Frederick Turner
Fragment Theory - Louis Hartz
Seymour Lipset - Formative Events Theory
Red State v Blue State
It’s valid but only because of the way the electoral college works - winner take all.
In reality other divides are more prominent like urban, suburban, rural.
Purple States
Swing states. They are catered to more during election period because of the implications.
A Hot Plate of Christian’s Edge
Honestly all this stuff just leads to the conclusion that American democracy (And parts of Canadian democracy too) is a just a sham and encouraging people to vote is just a state strategy to give people the illusion that they have power to make them complicit
Red America
- Staunch Conservatives 2. Main Street Republicans
Blue America
Solid liberals
New Coalition Democrats
Hard-Pressed Democrats
Independent America
Libertarians
Disaffecteds
Post-Modern
Disengaged America
Bystanders - don’t vote
