Topic 6: Political Behaviour: Political Socialisation & Political Culture

Political behavior encompasses actions and conduct related to the exercise of power within a society. It involves determining the allocation of resources and power without resorting to violence, as defined by Lasswell's concept of politics: "who gets what, when, and how." This behavior constitutes actions taken within the realm of power dynamics and resource allocation.

1. Mass public: Refers to the general populace, not directly involved in policymaking but impacted by policies enacted.

2. Political Elite: Typically denotes elected/appointed officials spanning various levels of governance, occasionally extended to media, parties, or interest groups.

3. Mass political behavior: Actions by ordinary citizens in peacefully shaping power and resource distribution within society's governance processes.

Examples of Mass Political Behaviors:

1. Voting: Participating in elections to influence the selection of leaders or policies.

2. Voicing opinions: Engaging in activities such as calling representatives, signing petitions, and discussing political issues to express views and influence decision-making.

3. Campaign participation: Involvement in campaign activities, like distributing materials, making calls, or contributing funds, to support a political candidate or cause.

4. Protesting: Engaging in various forms of protest, such as strikes, sit-ins, marches, or demonstrations, to highlight concerns and advocate for change.

5. Political party activities: Involvement in party-related events, volunteering, or supporting party initiatives.

6. Interest group activities: Participation in activities organized by interest groups to advocate for specific causes or policies.

What is Political Culture?

1. Political culture refers to the distinguishing beliefs, values, attitudes, habits, and behaviour patterns that characterize a political community.

2. It comprises cognitive, affective, and evaluative orientations toward the political system, distinct from public opinion. It functions as a framework constraining acceptable political action and discourse, remaining enduring, stable, and cross-generational.

3. The essence of political culture lies not in consensus on issues but in a shared perception of citizens' rights, obligations, and rules for participating in the political process.

Political Cultures

In "The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations" (1963), American political scientists Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba introduced three fundamental models of political culture. These models were derived from cross-national survey research conducted in five democracies: Italy, Germany, Mexico, USA, and the UK.

1. Political culture is shaped by three primary factors:

A] Awareness of government

B] Expectations of government

C] Political participation

2. There are three identified types of political culture:

A] Parochial cultures: Characterized by low levels of awareness, expectations, and participation, as observed in Mexico.

B] Subject culture: Exhibits high levels of awareness and expectations but low participation, as seen in countries like Italy and Germany.

C] Participatory culture: Demonstrates high levels across all three factors, as seen in the USA and UK.

Parochial Culture:

1. Citizens have low cognitive orientations toward the political system.

2. Societies with this culture don't expect positive government action or active participation in politics, considering it as the elite's domain.

3. Government is viewed as the enforcer of its rules, leading people to avoid politics when possible.

Subject Culture:

1. Citizens have high cognitive, affective, and evaluative orientations only toward the political system and its policies.

2. This results in expectations of positive government action but minimal personal political activity.

3. Orientations toward political parties and active participation are minimal, still perceiving politics as an elite realm.

Participatory Culture:

1. Citizens have high cognitive, affective, and evaluative orientations toward both the input and output aspects of the system.

2. Societies with this culture have citizens with high expectations of government and a strong willingness to participate in politics, even if just through voting.

3. This culture is central to democratic principles.

Mixed Cultures:

Almond and Verba note that political cultures often mix elements from these ideal types. Also, political culture might not perfectly align with political structures:

- Political systems might exhibit high congruence between culture and structure, fostering allegiance.

- Weak congruence might lead to apathy.

- Incongruence might cause alienation between the political culture and the political structures in place.

Sure, here's a concise breakdown:

1. Political Socialization:

- It's the process where individuals acquire values and assumptions about politics.

- Involves learning political values and factual assumptions about the political landscape.

2. Purpose:

- Political socialization leads people to comprehend, accept, and typically endorse the existing political system.

The Agents of Political Socialization:

1. Direct and Indirect Socialization:

- Socialization occurs through both direct and indirect means.

2. Agents of Political Socialization:

- Family: Shapes attitudes toward religion and establishes career goals.

- School: Teaches specific skills and societal values; attempts to align citizenry with state ideals.

- Peer Groups: Influential in shaping tastes and perspectives, varying in political impact.

- Mass Media: Newspapers, TV, internet, etc., crucial for political knowledge and shaping views through media-politics connections.

- Other Agents: State, religion, political events, and art.

- Socio-Demographic Influences: Geographical region, race, social class, gender, and age. These factors also play a role in shaping political viewpoints.

1. Categorization of Agents of Socialization:

- Primary Groups (Intimate): Agents involving regular face-to-face interactions, such as family, friends, and work associates.

- Secondary Groups (Expanded): Larger, more diffuse agents like religious, civic, and professional associations, with a broader influence and scale.