Transcript II. Political Culture

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
AND
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
Unit II
Political participation: The many forms-

HOW DO WE PARTICIPATE?
 1. Voting. Only 50% vote in national elections.
Voters see a lack of political efficacy. . .not being
able to have a political “effect” on society through
the political process - they have no influence.
 2. Join SIGS – special interest groups
 3. Give $$$$ to SIGS thru PACS
 4. Contacting gov’t officials on a regular basis
 5. Working on a campaign
 6. Civil disobedience – think Rosa Parks!
 7. Violence ….. NOT a legal method of participation
WHO PARTICIPATES?
 Age and socio-economic status matters – those
with more participate more. . . and get more!
Types of Political Participation
POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES
& POLITICAL PARTIES
Democrats
&
Liberals
Republicans
&
Conservatives
What is a Political Continuum?
A person’s views on the issues help
determine where they fall on the political
spectrum.
 The labels used on the spectrum are not
pure categories, but they make up a
continuum, or value line, and citizens and
politicians fall somewhere on that line
depending on what they believe.

ATTITUDES REGARDING POLITICAL & SOCIAL
IDEALS IN THE U.S. HAVE BEEN GIVEN LABELS:

LIBERALS
or
CONSERVATIVES
• These labels are part of a political spectrum that goes from the Left
(extremely liberal) to the Right (extremely conservative).
• To determine your placement, you have to assess where you stand on a
number of social (people-related), economic (money-related), and
political (governmental) issues.
• Take the PBS Quiz at:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/08/where-do-you-fitintroducing-the-pewnewshour-political-party-quiz.html
LEFT vs. RIGHT


The terms came from the French where the liberal
parties traditionally sat to the left and the
conservative parties sat to the right.
Two major factors shape political views:


The first is how much change a person is willing to have
within their society and government.
The second deals with how much government involvement
in the economy a person calls for.
LIBERAL vs.
CONSERVATIVE
IDEALS:
LIBERAL

The federal
government
should take a very
active and large
role in the
domestic affairs of
all the nation’s
citizens
CONSERVATIVE

The federal
government’s role
is too big & should
not be expanded
further – more
control should be
given to state and
local governments
over their own
citizens
LIBERAL vs. CONSERVATIVE IDEALS:
CONSERVATIVE
• National Security:
LIBERAL
• National Security:
• Adequate military;
multilateralism;
United Nations
• Economic Policy:
• Fed. Gov’t regulation
of business; deficits
when necessary; favor
government spending
• Strong military;
unilateralism
• Economic Policy:
• Free markets; limited role
of fed. gov’t in regulating
business; balanced
budget; low taxes; tax
cuts
LIBERAL
v. CONSERVATIVE – Social Issues:
LIBERAL
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social safety net (gov’t)
Public Welfare
National healthcare
Pro-affirmative action
Pro-choice
Anti-prayer in school
Strict separation of church &
state
Tolerance for many religions
Protection of defendants’ rights
Gay marriage/civil unions
High value on change and
principles of tolerance & diversity.
CONSERVATIVE
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Individual responsibility
Private charity
Private health coverage
Anti-affirmative action
Pro-life
Pro-prayer in school
Traditional Judeo-Christian
religious values
• Opposed to “coddling” criminals
• Traditional family and marriage
• High value on principles of
community, tradition, law & order,
family & religious values.
What is a Radical?



Far left of the political
spectrum
Call for wide-sweeping
rapid change in the basic
structure of the political,
social, or economic
system.
Wlling to resort to extreme
methods to bring about
change, including the use
of violence and revolution.
V.I. Lenin:
Mastermind of the
Russian Revolution
and Father of the
Soviet Union
What is a Liberal?



Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King
Liberals believe that the
government should be
actively involved in the
promotion of social
welfare of a nation’s
citizens.
Usually call for peaceful,
gradual change within
the existing political
system.
Reject violent revolution
as a way of changing
the way things are, often
called the status quo.
What is a Moderate?



Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) is
generally seen as a moderate.
Moderates may share
viewpoints with both liberals
and conservatives.
Seen as tolerant of other
people’s views, and they do
not hold extreme views of
their own.
Advocate a “go slow,” “waitand-see” approach to social
or political change.
What is a Conservative?



Former California Governor and
U.S. President Ronald Reagan

Favor keeping things the way
they are or maintaining the
status quo
Conservatives are usually
hesitant or cautious about
adopting new policies,
especially if they involve
government activism in some
way.
The less government there is,
the better.
They agree with Jefferson’s
view that “the best
government governs least.”
What is a Reactionary?





Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a typical
reactionary manifesto
Far right of the ideological
spectrum
Want to go back to the way
things were—the “good ole’
days.”
Often willing to use extreme
methods, such as repressive
use of government power, to
achieve their goals.
Scapegoating is common.
The term “reactionary is
generally negative. A positive
way to say the same thing is
“arch-conservative.”
Expanded views of Liberals &
Conservatives:




Classic Liberals
Radical Liberals
Blue Dog Democrats
 Conservative

Democrats

Dixiecrats
 anti-civil
rights
Democrats


True Conservatives
Moderate
Conservatives
Social Far Right
Economic
Conservatives
“To be young and a conservative is to have no heart, to be old and a liberal is to have no mind.”
Winston Churchill
American Politicians on the
Spectrum:
A historical worldview:
More views on the Political Spectrum