American Government and Politics: Deliberation, Democracy, and Citizenship

Chapter FiveCivic Culture

Chapter Five: Learning Objectives

• Explain the meaning of civic culture and tell how it helps distinguish the United States from other industrial democracies

• Define the concept of individualism in American life

Chapter Five: Learning Objectives

• Explain how religion has so much influence despite the separation of church and state

• Analyze how patriotism has both united Americans yet given rise to disputes over free expression

Chapter Five: Learning Objectives

• Briefly sketch the role of giving and volunteering in American society

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Introduction to American Civic Culture

What are some values you associate with the American civic culture?

MATTHEW J. LEE/Boston Globe/Landov

Introduction to American Civic Culture

Four elements of American civic culture

1. Individualism2. Religion3. Patriotism4. Civilian community service

Power and the Individual: Individualism

Characteristics of American individualism

• Self-reliance and individual responsibility

• Favor individual rights

• Belief that economic competition is good

• Modest social programs as compared to other nations

Power and the Individual: Reformism

In the 19th century, people were concerned about the increasing power that political party machines, wealthy financiers, and corporations exerted in government.

As a result, the Progressive movement grew in opposition to those forces.

Power and the Individual: Reformism

Progressive movement ideas

• Concentration of power was the threat

• Need to reform electoral processes

• Award government jobs based on the civil service system, not political appointees

Religion and American Politics

With a constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state, why do you believe religion has been able to be so influential in American politics?

Myths and Misinformation

On America, Alexis de Tocqueville has been quoted as stating that he did not “understand the secret of her genius and power” until he visited American churches.

Tocqueville was misquoted, but that statement is still used today because of its adaptability to different causes.

Religion and American Politics: Born in Mission

The Pilgrims came to America seeking religious freedom and drafted the Mayflower Compact to establish a “civil body politick.”

The Puritans soon followed and many religious denominations have their roots in the Puritan reform movement.

Religion and American Politics:Revolution and Founding

Religious ideas in early America

• First Great Awakening

• Enlightenment

• Deism

Religion and American Politics:Slavery and Civil Rights

Religious beliefs influenced both pro-slavery and anti-slavery movements.

The Second Great Awakening focused on issues related to social improvement and moral reform, and abolishing slavery was an important goal of many during this movement.

Religion and American Politics:Individual Conduct

Religious beliefs affected opinions on

• Prohibition of alcohol

• Plural marriage

• Abortion rights

Religion and Politics

Religion and American Politics:Education

How has religion affected education?

• Many private universities have religious backgrounds

• Northwest Ordinance linked religion with education

• Scopes trial brought issues of religion and public education to national political agenda

Religion and American Politics:Social Welfare

The Social Gospel movement stressed the role that religion should play in charitable work and solving social problems such as poverty and child labor.

The ideas of the Social Gospel movement are still alive in American politics today.

Religion and American Politics:Faith and Votes

Have religious beliefs affected voting behavior?

• Moral Majority

• Christian Coalition

• Black churches

International Perspectives

Views of American religiosity

• Europe has more secular views than America

• 2006 poll of the British found that 82% believed that religion causes “division and tension”

• 2005 Pew Global Attitudes Project found that many industrial nations thought that Americans were “too religious”

Patriotism

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, “Trends in Political Values and CoreAttitudes: 1987–2007—Political Landscape More Favorable to Democrats,” March 22, 2007, atwww.people-press.org/reports/pdf/312.pdf.

Patriotism and Civil Religion

American civil religion

• Roots are in Judeo-Christian tradition

• Americans should seek a higher power

• Nondenominational references to God prevalent

Patriotism: Symbols and Rituals

Many symbols and rituals of patriotism have religious traditions

• Great Seal of the United States

• Liberty Bell

• Declaration of Independence display

• Opinions on flag desecration and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance

Pledges and Promises

The Pledge of Allegiance

• First version created in 1892 with minor changes in 1923 and 1924

• Congress added phrase “under God” in 1954

• For some, the pledge embodies “the relationship of community, religion and military service”

Patriotism and Military Service

Throughout history, many Americans have expressed their patriotism through military service.

Other motivations for military service• Job training and employment opportunities

• Benefits for veterans

Problems of Patriotism

Do you believe that patriotism places greater importance on one nation over another?

Do you believe that cosmopolitism is a better approach? Why or why not?

Community Service

Why has community service become such an important component of American civic culture?

As an American do you feel an obligation to community service?

In what ways have citizens served their community?

Community Service

Americans have served in many ways

• Participation in civic organizations

• Charitable giving and volunteering

Community Service: Private Effort and Public Policy

How has the government promoted community service?

• White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

• Peace Corps and AmeriCorps

• Tax exempt status to nonprofit organizations

Civic Culture and Deliberative Democracy

Issues that have affected civic culture and deliberative democracy

• Economic and social change

• Growth in size of government

• Judeo-Christian religious traditions and emergence of new religious traditions due to immigration

Deliberation, Citizenship, and You

Education as responsibility

• President Obama has emphasized the importance of higher education to the country

• Critics have said that job training may be more important than postsecondary education

• Are you pursuing a higher education because of a sense of obligation to the country?

Summary

• Several characteristics define the American civic culture and have helped make the American experience and history unique

• If we understand these characteristics, we will better understand many of the enduring issues and attitudes in American politics