Chapter 3 Flashcards
political culture
includes citizens’ orientations at three levels: the political system, the political and policymaking process, and policy outputs and outcome
system level
The system level is how people view the values and organizations that comprise the political system. Do people identify with the nation and accept the overall social system
process level
expectations of the political rules, decision-making methods, and individuals’ relationship to the government
policy level
The policy level deals with the public’s policy expectations for the government. What should the policy goals of government be, and how are they to be achieved?
legitimacy
popular acceptance of a government, political regime, or system of governance.
In a traditional society, legitimacy may depend on the ruler’s inheriting the throne or his/her commitment to religious customs
In a modern democracy, legitimacy may depend on the voters selecting elites in competitive elections and on the government’s fol-lowing constitutional procedures.
A political system and a government with high legitimacy are typically more effective in carrying out policies and are more likely to overcome hardships and reversals. In systems with low legitimacy, people often resort to violence or extra-governmental actions to pursue their goals.
congruence theory
, the distribution of cultural patterns is typically related to the type of political process that citizens expect and support. For instance, support for a democratic system is typically higher in societies that have a more participatory political culture. Authoritarian states are more likely to endure where people lack the skills or motivations to participate and the state discourages their participatio
political socialization
the way in which political values are formed and political culture is transmitted from one generation to the next.
First, the socialization process can occur in different ways.
econd, socialization is a lifelong process. Early family influences can create an individual’s initial values, but subsequent life experience.
direct socialization
involves an actor explicitly communicating information, values, or feelings toward politics. Examples of direct socialization include civics courses in the schools, public education programs of the government, and the political information campaigns of interest groups
indirect socialization
occurs when political views are inadvertently molded by our experiences. For example, children normally learn im-portant political values by observing the behavior of their parents, teachers, and friends. Or, people may learn by observing the political and social context that surrounds them, watching what governments do and how other citizens react.
agents of political socialization
individuals, organizations, and institutions that influence political attitudes. Some, like civ-ics courses in schools, are direct and deliberate sources of political learning. Others, like playgroups and work groups, affect political socialization indirectly
marketization
—that is, an increased public acceptance of free markets and private profit incentives, rather than a government-managed economy.
What are the three key elements of a political culture?
The political system, the political process, and political policy. The political system deals with people understanding their place within the government. The more support a nation has the more effectively they can operate. When the political system has high legitimacy or understanding between the citizens and the leader(s), the citizens will obey the rules set by the leader and the leader will do what is required of them as set by the legitimacy. The political process focuses on people’s part and expectations of the government. As democratization expands, people in non democratic nations support democracy even if they don’t fully understand what it entails. When people are more informed about politics it makes them more inclined to participate in it. The policy level focuses on government action and what people expect from their government. The government’s role in a nation varies between them because some citizens prefer a large government over a smaller one.
Why does political culture matter?
It captures the history, traditions, and values of a society which can build political community. Political culture can also influence the type of laws and manner of politics
Why is the process of political socialization important?
The process has importance because a person’s political beliefs can change at any moment in response to what is happening in the world. It is also important because it allows people to have their own beliefs about politics. Socialization can also make or break governments. If the government enforces their own type of political socialization, then everyone has similar beliefs and there would not be any internal conflict. In contrast having different subcultures within a nation can cause a political gap among the citizens of a nation.
What are the main agents of political socialization?
Individuals, organizations, and influential institutions. Organizations can impact political socialization as they enforce the beliefs of their members. For example religious groups like churches can have conflict with the government, like fundamentalist of the U.S wanting to close the separation between church and state. Another manner of socialization comes from the media. Radios allow people to hear about occurrences happening around the world while television uses sight and sound to truly display these occurrences. The internet allows its user to access global political information if the use of the press is limited in the home nation.
