Cultural Theory Flashcards
define cultural theory
A cultural approach looks at how we are influenced by the groups we belong to, such as political parties, pressure groups, factions or groups of voters. It suggests that people operate as they do because of the culture of the group they are in. The group culture is the shared ideas, beliefs and values — to which members conform, and which influences individual members’ actions.
Analysis of Cultural Theory
While individuals often choose to join a group, this group can still influence or restrict their behaviour. Culture is habitual and perceived as natural, giving it power over individuals that they may not be aware of. For sociologist ideas such a socialisation or group think explore these effects.
Comparing PM + POTUS
Comparing the prime minister and president using a cultural approach it might be suggested that they may alter their policy goals because of the culture of their party which might happen if their own views are out of step with the views of their party and the prime minister or president feels the need to adjust their aims
E.G - Clement Attlee was no great socialist but presided over a programme of nationalisation which was the policy of the Labour Party but PMs and President have reached the top of the system so tend to lead policy and at least try to set the culture of their party.
Eg Blair and New Labour.
Evalaution of Cultural Theory
However, politicians can find themselves influenced by the culture of the establishment which leads them in to conflict with their party- The party of government can be rather different to the party of opposition as they find a culture of pragmatism prevails in the corridors of Whitehall. In other words the culture of the civil service may be more influential than the party. In the USA the term ‘Going Native’ is used to described politicians who have become sympathetic to the culture of their departments.
A study of comparative politics through a cultural approach also focuses on the prevailing political, social, economic and religious ideas within each nation
the UK Conservatives are very different to Conservatives in the USA and in the USA Republicans form the Northeast ate very different from Republicans form Texas. Culture can be defined as a shared, learned and symbolic system of values, beliefs, ideas and attitudes that shapes and influences people’s perceptions and behaviour. It tells us who we are collectively, what is important to us, and how we should behave — as Americans or as citizens of the UK
Cultural Collectives and why there isn’t just one
Culture must be collective; there is no such thing as a culture of one. By definition, culture is shared among members of a community. So a cultural approach to politics suggests that shared ideas, beliefs and values often determine the actions of individuals and groups within them. This is used to explain voting behaviour in terms of class and partisan alignment- Why are inner cities in the UK more likely to be Labour and the rural Midwest more likely to be Republican? It is suggested that this is regional culture and tradition. But again this is hard to separate from rational self interest since Labour governments are more likely to pursue policies which will benefit inner cities and the Republican more likely to be support agriculture.
Marxist take on cultural theory
sees culture as shaped by the dominant class and the nation’s elite and therefore merely reflects the cultural ideas of those elite. ‘ In every age the dominant ideas are the ideas of the dominant class’- Marx. But this does acknowledge that culture influences behaviour even if it is as a form of control.
Culture can explain why individuals and societies act and behave in certain ways.
can explain how they react to safeguard what they see as the fundamental rights and liberties of their nation — to safeguard ‘their way of life’. It can explain why people vote in a certain way, take to protest marches or movements, or fight for causes. Culture has a power to motivate people and to shape society, to create far-reaching change or to preserve the status quo.
Cultural Theory + Freedom of ideal
‘freedom as an ideal. Most American share some idea of state-rights and individuals right protection and therefore greater desire to respect state power and limited government. governments. This culture of individualism is dominant in the US, so most politicians conform to this cultural expectation. Similarly there is a shared religious culture in the US which mean that moral issues become political issues.
Cultural explanations could also be used to examine the level of rights protection
The US has a culture of legalism which means rights tend to be expressed in law and with stronger structures to protect rights than the UK, but rights are still well protected in the UK despite the lack of an entrenched bill of rights and sovereign constitution. In the UK there is a culture of Common Law and negative rights. There are cultural expectations of rights protection, within parties and the country. In proposing the right to gay marriage, David Cameron was responding to a dominant cultural belief of equality. This might suggest that the structural approach is central to understanding the US Constitution, where everything is laid out in a single document, while in the UK the cultural approach is equally important.
