Unit 3: Political Culture and Participation & Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organization

citizens

individuals that belong to polity

society

large group of people that are connected by interactions/commonalities in order to form a sense of identity

state

common unit of political organization

civil society

voluntary organizations that aren’t controlled by state; strongest in democratic states. can still exist in authoritarian states, just weaker.

political ideology

a set of principles about government functions; shapes judgment of legitimacy and authority

regime

embraces political ideology to a certain degree

liberalism

individualist; against government intrusions (preference of minor gov intrusion in economy); maximize personal liberties + rights; economic liberalism

communism

collectivist (equality trumps individuality); government ownership of economy and government control of social systems (individual rights must give way to equality)

socialism

gov controls means of production w/ some private ownership; can be democratic or undemocratic; more concerned with maintaining welfare state than nationalizing means of production

conservative ideologies

protecting status quo; minimal economic regulation; little to no concern for equality

liberatarian ideologies

minimal government influence in everything

reactionary ideologies

more conservative than conservatives; want to “go back in time“

fascism

glorify state and military; 100% collectivist

political culture

set of values people hold regarding political system where they live:

Beliefs about authority

Group v. individual

Libery v. security

Legitimacy

Political community

political socialization

process/institutions that give us beliefs

political community

self-identity? Rarely monolithic; elite vs mass p.c. this is where legitimacy, authority, and sovereignty come from (attitudes, beliefs, symbols that influence political interactions)

where does p.c./p.s. come from?

political culture comes from…

• Defining events

• Repeated experiences

political socialization comes from…

• Family

• Friends

• School

• Media

• Religious institutions

cross-cutting cleavages

moderate society; groups pull apart on issues

complementary cleavages

reenforcing/coinciding/polarizing; groups pull in one direction

race

group members are thought to have genetically transmitted physical differences

ethnic identity

common history/culture/descent; often lack belief in right to political control

religion

can combine with ethnicity to cause violence; strong today but weak in modernized societies

gender

differences that can help shape the identity groups of male and female; gender shows how traits, roles, behavior, and attitudes are perceived

class

harsh historically, not so much anymore

political participation

how individuals participate in politics; strong, effective political institutions thrive on mass political participation

conventional participation

accepted means of already established institutions (ex. Voting in dem states); contacting rep, donated to an i.g. or p.p.; nondemocratic - elite discouraging participation

unconventional participation

boycotts, strikes, violence, terrorism; activities that disrupt political or social stability; elite do not approve

non-participation

people feel alienated. Don’t understand or want to understand politics

citizenship

official membership in a state; comes with responsibilities and rights; one needs to go through naturalization and some states allow for dual citizenships

naturalization

the admittance of a foreigner to the citizenship of a country