Political Culture & Political Political Culture & Political IdeologiesIdeologies

Types of Political CultureTypes of Political Culture

Political IdeologyPolitical Ideology

IntroductionIntroduction

Historic evolution of political traditions shape a Historic evolution of political traditions shape a country’s concept of who has authority to rule, country’s concept of who has authority to rule, who is legitimate powerwho is legitimate power

Evolution can be gradual (UK) or forced (Iran)Evolution can be gradual (UK) or forced (Iran) Political Culture: collection of political beliefs, Political Culture: collection of political beliefs,

values, practices and institutions values, practices and institutions If society values individualism then the gov’t will If society values individualism then the gov’t will

generally reflect that valuegenerally reflect that value If a gov’t doesn’t value basic political values of the If a gov’t doesn’t value basic political values of the

people, it will have difficulty remaining viablepeople, it will have difficulty remaining viable

Intro cont’Intro cont’

Social capital: amount of reciprocity and trust Social capital: amount of reciprocity and trust that exists among citizens, and between citizens that exists among citizens, and between citizens and stateand state

Societies w/ low amounts of social capital may Societies w/ low amounts of social capital may be more inclined toward authoritarianism and be more inclined toward authoritarianism and anti-individual gov’tsanti-individual gov’ts

Some argue that Islam is incompatible with Some argue that Islam is incompatible with democracy because they emphasize democracy because they emphasize subserviencesubservience On other hand, democracy has flourished in India, On other hand, democracy has flourished in India,

South Africa and TurkeySouth Africa and Turkey

Types of Political CultureTypes of Political Culture

Consensus political culture:Consensus political culture: Citizens may disagree on some political processes, but agree on Citizens may disagree on some political processes, but agree on

how decisions are made or how problems are solvedhow decisions are made or how problems are solved By and large, consensus political culture accepts both legitimacy By and large, consensus political culture accepts both legitimacy

or the regime & solutions to major problemsor the regime & solutions to major problems

Conflictual political culture:Conflictual political culture: Citizens are sharply divided, often on legitimacy and how to Citizens are sharply divided, often on legitimacy and how to

solve problemssolve problems Hard to come to conclusions when citizens agree or disagree on Hard to come to conclusions when citizens agree or disagree on

basics like capitalism v. communism basics like capitalism v. communism Religious differences may also threaten the legitimacy or stability Religious differences may also threaten the legitimacy or stability

of a regimeof a regime Political subcultures may arise; divisions will be so deep that Political subcultures may arise; divisions will be so deep that

gov’t will struggle to function properlygov’t will struggle to function properly

Political IdeologiesPolitical Ideologies Political ideologiesPolitical ideologies: : political culturepolitical culture shapes political ideologies; ideologies shapes political ideologies; ideologies

are sets of political values held by individuals regarding the basic goals of are sets of political values held by individuals regarding the basic goals of gov’t & politicsgov’t & politics

LiberalismLiberalism Emphasis on individual political and economic freedomEmphasis on individual political and economic freedom Not the stereotype that liberalism has in the U.S.Not the stereotype that liberalism has in the U.S. Liberalism is the broad ideology in many democratized countriesLiberalism is the broad ideology in many democratized countries

Liberals seek to:Liberals seek to: Freedom for all peopleFreedom for all people Freedom of speechFreedom of speech Freedom of religionFreedom of religion Freedom of associationFreedom of association

People also have right to disagree with gov’t decisions and leadersPeople also have right to disagree with gov’t decisions and leaders English riotsEnglish riots PM Cameron’s speech on English riotsPM Cameron’s speech on English riots PM Cameron on police powers during the English riotsPM Cameron on police powers during the English riots English response to riotsEnglish response to riots

Political IdeologiesPolitical Ideologies

CommunismCommunism Technically speaking- equality is valued over freedomTechnically speaking- equality is valued over freedom Liberal democracies value equal opportunity but tolerate Liberal democracies value equal opportunity but tolerate

inequality in society and economyinequality in society and economy

Communists:Communists: reject the notion that personal freedom equals prosperityreject the notion that personal freedom equals prosperity argue that liberal democracies re created by the wealthy to argue that liberal democracies re created by the wealthy to

protect the wealthyprotect the wealthy Advocate a takeover of all resources by the state in order to Advocate a takeover of all resources by the state in order to

eliminate inequalities and exploitationeliminate inequalities and exploitation Argue that private ownership should be abolished and needs of Argue that private ownership should be abolished and needs of

state are more important than society as a wholestate are more important than society as a whole

Political IdeologiesPolitical Ideologies

SocialismSocialism:: Shares value of equality with communism but Shares value of equality with communism but

influenced by liberal value of freedominfluenced by liberal value of freedom Accepts and promotes private Accepts and promotes private

property/ownership and free marketproperty/ownership and free market believe the state has a strong role to play in believe the state has a strong role to play in

regulating economy and providing benefits to regulating economy and providing benefits to the publicthe public Benefits ensure some measure of equalityBenefits ensure some measure of equality

Political IdeologiesPolitical Ideologies

FascismFascism:: Confused w/ communism because both Confused w/ communism because both

devalue the idea of individual freedomdevalue the idea of individual freedom Fascism rejects the value of equality, instead Fascism rejects the value of equality, instead

people exist in degrees of inferiority and people exist in degrees of inferiority and superioritysuperiority

State has the right and responsibility to mold State has the right and responsibility to mold the society and economythe society and economy

The regime is authoritarian and can determine The regime is authoritarian and can determine who is superior and who is inferiorwho is superior and who is inferior

Political IdeologiesPolitical Ideologies

ReligionsReligions:: Important to group identityImportant to group identity Religion serves as a basis for interest groups Religion serves as a basis for interest groups

and volunteer associations within societyand volunteer associations within society Britain has an official religion, but their society is Britain has an official religion, but their society is

largely secularized- religious and political largely secularized- religious and political leaders are not the sameleaders are not the same

Iran bases its political system on Shia IslamIran bases its political system on Shia Islam China has suppressed religious movementsChina has suppressed religious movements In Nigeria In Nigeria sharia Lawsharia Law is legal in the Muslim, but is legal in the Muslim, but

not in the Christian south. not in the Christian south.

ConclusionsConclusions

No matter how we categorize political No matter how we categorize political cultures, they are constantly changingcultures, they are constantly changing

Political values and beliefs tend to endure Political values and beliefs tend to endure and typically political culture has shaped and typically political culture has shaped political systemspolitical systems

Political ideologies also play the key role in Political ideologies also play the key role in shaping political cultureshaping political culture