AP Gov Political Culture + Polling

American Political Culture


Political culture is a consistent set of views as to the policies that the government ought to pursue; what the government should be like; the ideal America. 


Persistence of Democratic Institutions in American CANNOT be explained by:

  • Our unique Constitution (it’s been stolen)

  • Physical advantages of our country (it helps)


Other things we must consider

  • Customs of our people or traditions

    • How are we unique?

      • Ex: Thanksgiving, 4th of July

  • “Moral and Intellectual characteristics” de Tocqueville

    • Americans are more industrious

    • Americans are more individualistic

    • Americans believe they can change their station in life

  • Political Culture


Definition of Political Culture

  • The inherited set of beliefs, attitudes, and opinions that Americans share about how their government ought to operate

  • Ex: Americans believe in political equality but no economic equality, Americans believe in all being allowed to vote

  • Not the same as political ideology


Political Ideologies

  • The philosophical differences between people about what the role of government ought to be regarding policy

    • Liberal

    • Conservative

    • Populist

    • Libertarian

    • Etc..

  • Groups can agree on certain things being issues, but don’t agree on how to fix it

    • Ex: Immigration or unemployment


Four Elements that make up American Political Culture

  • Liberty: we should all be able to do what we want as long as no one gets hurt

  • Equality: equal political opportunity, but not economic equality

  • Democracy: officials are accountable to the people whom they serve

  • Civic Duty: people have an obligation to participate in the political process because they have a right to do so. 


How do we know that Americans share these core beliefs?

  • Inferred by the books we read and buy

  • Speeches we hear politically

  • Slogans we respond to

  • Political choices we make

  • Observations of foreigners

  • Opinion Polls


How do we explain behaviors that are inconsistent with our political culture

  • Self interest (our beliefs remain the same but our behaviors do not)

  • Social circumstances (it may not be “cool” for everyone to be equal)

    • We believe in equality, but don't always act on it

    • Religious discrimination

    • Cliques

  • Beliefs are important as a change agent

    • As we grow as a nation new concepts become important

    • Our ideals have resulted in changed behavior

    • Voting Rights

    • Equal Pay


If there is agreement on certain political values, why have we had so much political conflict?

  • Conflict is over specific policies not values

  • Historians disagree about which values we really share or to what degree

  • Americans interpret the values as they pertain to their individual circumstances


Most consistent evidence of a political culture

  • Americanism, American way of life, UnAmerican activities

  • Rarely have this type of bonding in other nations

    • Can’t be “unFrench”, “unCanadian,” or “unNorwegian”

    • No “saudi way of life”

    • No other nation seems to share this need for a national bond

    • We don’t share a common ethnicity, race, religion, or national original, so created this as our bond


American Economic System

  • Support free enterprise, set limits in market

  • Prefer equality of opportunity not results

  • Shared commitment to economic individualism and self reliance

  • WIlling to help only the truly needy; elderly and disabled

  • Individualistic view of social policy (we want to choose who we help)

  • The responsibility for financial success rests with the individual 

America believes that everyone should be success, but they must become successful by themselves not the reliance on others


Distinctiveness of American Political Culture (Political Systems)

  • Comparison to Sweden (more deferential than participatory)

    • Vote but do not otherwise participate

    • Defer to gov and experts done argue or protest

    • Rarely challenge gov in court; almost no lawsuits

    • Believed in doing what is best for the whole rather than government providing what people want

    • Value equality more than liberty

    • Value harmony and social obligations more than anything else; need to get along and be agreeable

  • Comparison to Japan

    • Value good relations with co-workers, must get along with others

    • Emphasis on group decision-making

    • Value preserving social harmony

    • Display respect for hierarchy (boss, government, ancestors)

    • Sensitive to the needs of others (at cost of self)

    • Want to avoid conflict at all costs

    • Reach decisions through discussion and compromise rather than an application of rules and laws

Americans

  • Emphasis on

    • Individualism

    • Competition

    • Equality

    • Following the rules/laws

    • Treating others fairly

  • More assertive of rights (even if they aren’t sure what they are)

  • Stronger sense of:

    • Civic Duty

    • Civic competency

    • Obligation to be active in ones community

    • Can rectify bad laws… can fight city hall

    • Confidence in political institutions, trust in them

    • National Pride


Economic Systems

  • Sweden compared to America

    • They believe more in equal pay and limit top incomes

    • They believe there would be a lower ratio of income between workers and executives

    • Americans are less likely to believe that government should be involved in income equity

  • No need to compare US and Japan in terms of economics as we are virtually identical


Cultural Differences = Political Differences


The source of political culture in America

  • Historical Roots:

    • American Revolution: equality

    • Constitution: our effort to balance personal liberty with social control

    • Americans obsessed with assertion and maintenance of our rights

    • Americans acted out of suspicion of government and devotion to individualism


Revolution of 1800

  • First tests of our democracy/political culture: Federalists (in favor of Adams) and Democratic–Republicans (in favor of Jefferson)

  • Jefferson accused Federalists of subverting Constitution (Alien and Sedition Act)

  • Hamilton and Adams thought D-R would turn country over to France

  • Civil war did not occur there was a peaceful transfer of power

  • Role of opposition parties legitimized peaceful orderly transfer of power as possible


Legal-Sociological Factors

  • Constitutional permitted wide-spraed participation (voting)

  • No national religion

    • Prohibited by constitution

    • Wide-spread diverse immigration ensured there would be none


Religion

  • Religious diversity was inevitable and led to conflict

  • With no common religious, common political culture is difficult to create

  • All presidents identify with a religion


American political culture is dominated by puritanism (protestantism)

  • Five “ethics”

    • Hard work

    • Save money

    • Obey the law (human and god)

    • Do good work (charity)

    • Embrace "Puritan Ethic” Work = Happiness = Heaven

  • These ethics are seen in American Political culture


Churches offered opportunity to develop/practice political skills

  • Protestants are organized along congressional lines

  • Churches were controlled by the members (popular sovereignty)

  • Churches are like mini political systems

  • A participant political culture was made easier by the existence of the participant religious culture


Family

  • Political culture is transmitted primarily by the family

    • Despite erosion of family unit (divorce, single parents, etc) family still has the largest role

    • Other sources are significant just not as important as family

    • Family determines identification with political party almost exclusively

  • American children experience greater freedom and equality which shapes political culture

    • Have a say in leisure activities

    • Have their own phone, tv, computer, car, etc.

    • Have ability to decide what to purchase with their own money

    • Have influence on family vacations, meals, etc.


What is Public Opinion?

Public opinion is what people think about an issue or set of issues at any given point in time. 

  • Opinions change over time “At any given point in time”

  • Do people know what we think?


Efforts to Influence Public Opinion

  • Public opinion polling began in the 30s with straw polls asking as many people as possible the same questions

  • In 1936 George Gallup started his polling

  • Politicians want own slant, or spin on events


Political Socialization Influencing Opinion

  • Political attitudes are grounded in values. We learn these values by a process known as political socialization.


Factors of Political Socialization

  • Family: Your parents teach you how to think. Learn social skills

  • Mass Media: Tv, Movies, internet newspapers and magazines

  • Schools: teach values of american political system

    • Saluting flag, history, government class

    • OTher student

  • Social Groups: Race, religion, gender, age, or generation

  • Opinion Leader: people of influence

    • Ministers, teachers, doctors, celebrity

  • Events: 9/111, JFK, wars shape views


Political Socialization: Who Votes?


Sociological Factors

  • Income and occupation

  • Education

  • Sex and age

    • Typically elderly people vote more often

  • Religious and ethnic background

  • Region of country where you live

  • Family Make-up

Psychological Factors

  • Party affiliation and identification

  • Perception of candidates’s policies and or image

  • Feeling that your vote will make a statement

Programs like the Motor-Voter Act of 1993 made registration to vote easier. Do it at the DMV.


Why we form political opinions

  • Personal benefit: America is said to be me-oriented. People choose policies that favor them personally

    • Elderly favor social security

  • Political Knowledge: Americans are highly literate (82 percent gradate for highschool) yet most americans don’t know government

    • Who reps you in congress?

    • Could you find Syria or Ukraine on a map

  • Cues for leaders: Low levels of knowledge make public opinions hard to measure and opinions sway quickly


Measuring Public Opinion

Public officials learn what the public wants by 

  • Election results, citizens contacts, letters to the editor, and public opinions polls and surveys


How to Form a Fair Poll

  1. Question wording: is the question biased?

  • Are you a true American and support the war?

  1. Sampling: Who are you asking? Scientific random sampling is best. Quota sampling is good

  2. Contacting respondents: How do you contact people?

  • Since 95% of Americans have phones, random calling is best


Types of Political Polls

  • Tracking Polls: continuous survey that lets campaign charts rise and falls. Small samples

  • Push polls: tries to lead the subject to a specific conclusion and push subjects away from candidates 

  • Exit Polls: asking people on election day as they leave polling stations


Problems with Polling

  • Sampling Errors: there is always a margin of error

  • Limited Respondent Options: what if you don't like any of the answer choices?

  • Lack of information: ask them about things they are clueless about

  • Intensity: polls don’t measure how passionate people are on a subject


Voting patterns we find from polling

  • Census is taken every 10 years

    • Looks at age, socioeconomic make up, place of residence, gender, and ethnicity

  • Immigrants key factor of population increase

    • Peaked in 1987. Simpson-Marzzoli act gave illegals living in the USA since 1982 legal status. No real immigration policy since

  • 2010 Census told us that

    • Population is aging (baby boomers)

    • Fastest growth in the South and West (gained seats in House)