introductory themes american political culture august 25-august 30 american federal government
TRANSCRIPT
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• Introductory Themes
• American Political Culture
August 25-August 30 American Federal Government
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Introductory Themes and American Political Culture
•Political PowerAuthority Legitimacy
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Conceptions of Democracy
• Democratic Centralism
• Direct Democracy
• Representative Democracy popular sovereigntycitizen demands and government action participation deliberationmajority rule
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Majority Rule: Good or Bad?
• No guarantee of good decisions
• Majority tyranny can threaten minorities
• Apathy toward politics
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Who Really Governs?
• Different approachesMarxist Elitist Bureaucratic Pluralist
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Political Culture
• Definition A basic set of shared values, attitudes and
beliefs that differentiate Americans from citizens of other countries
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Myths about the Founding of the American Republic
• British as tyrranical
• All the colonists favored independence
• Colonists were militarily superior
• American Revolution as a symbol of freedom for the world
• Constitution was divinely inspired
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Characteristics of American Political Culture
• Equality of opportunity, not outcome• Individual responsibility • Mistrust of government & governmental power• Limited government• Religion and faith • Providence, abundance, and Manifest Destiny• Associationalism and civic duty
• Greater inclusion of “out-groups”?
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American Political Culture Compared
• High confidence in political institutions
• Lower confidence in people running political institutions
• Religiosity
• Declining sense of political efficacy
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Confidence in Institutions:
America and Europe Compared
77
69
84 858683
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Congress(Parliament)
Courts Press Business ArmedForces
Church
Per
cent
US
Great Britain
Germany
France
Spain
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Confidence in People Running
American Institutions
42
50
41
29
55
16
29
19
23 2219
29
2018 18
10
28
12
1618
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Congress SupremeCourt
FederalBureaucracy
Press MajorCompanies
Pe
rcen
t
1966
1971-79
1980-89
1990-96
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Religiosity: The United States Compared
Respondents who say they are a religious person
82
72
69
64
55
54
48
29
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
US
Mexico
Canada
Spain
UK
Germany
France
Sweden
Percent
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Population of the US by Race and Ethnicity, 2000(Census Bureau)
White73%
African American
12%
Latino10%
Asian American
4%
Native American
1%
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Population Change in the US1980-2000
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Changes in U.S. Occupational Structure
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Race & Ethnicity
• Blacks/African-Americans– migration, political protest, civil rights– issue divisions
• Latinos/Hispanics – diversity as a group– low political mobilization
• exception? South Florida
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Race & Ethnicity
• Asian Americans– recent immigration– considerably diverse group– issue foci
• Native Americans– scattering of distinct cultures– conquered nations, poverty, and protest– new economic devlopment: casino gambling
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1996 Presidential Vote by Ethnicity
White Black Hispanic Asian
44 45
84
12
72
21
42
49
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Per
cen
t
White Black Hispanic Asian
Clinton Dole
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2000 Presidential Vote by Ethnicity
White Black Hispanic Asian
42
54
90
9
65
35
55
41
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Per
cen
t (%
)
White Black Hispanic Asian
Gore Bush
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Class in American Politics?
• Most Americans believe they are in the middle class– What is the definition? Gingrich vs. Clinton
• Tolerance for income inequality
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Income Distribution: The U.S. Compared
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Gender in American Politics
• The Gender Gap– a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting
differences in views between men and women
• Example:
--> Sexual Harrassment in the workplace – 24% of men say it is a serious problem
– 38% of women say it is a serious problem (ICPSR /ANES 1992 pre/post election surveys)
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Gender Gap in Voting: 1992/96 Vote for Clinton
1992 1996
3741
38
48
0
10
20
30
40
50
Per
cen
t
1992 1996
Men
Women
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Gender Gap in Voting: 2000 Election, Gore/Bush
53
4243
54
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Bush Gore
Per
cen
t
Men Women
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Religion in American Politics
• Secularism and protest
• Values, culture, and moral issues– abortion
• Rise or Demise of the Christian Right?– The GOP connection
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Membership in the Christian Coalition, 1989-95
0200000
400000600000
8000001000000
12000001400000
16000001800000
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Year
Num
ber o
f Mem
bers
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Ideology: Moderates Carry the Day