Understanding Political Culture

Political Culture: Definition

• Political culture includes the attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and values that shape political behavior within a society.
• It affects how individuals perceive politics, interact with institutions, and participate in governance.
• Political culture provides the psychological environment influencing a political system's stability, legitimacy, and function.

Key Features of Political Culture

• Shared Political Values: Citizens develop common beliefs about governance, democracy, and authority.
• Political Socialization: Transmitted through generations via family, education, media, and social institutions.
• Influence on Political Participation: Decides if citizens become politically active, passive, or disengaged.
• Variation Across Societies: Political culture varies by historical, social, and economic context.
• Impact on Political Stability: Shared culture leads to stability, while fragmented culture can cause instability or conflict.

Gabriel Almond & Sidney Verba – Civic Culture

• Conducted a comparative study of political culture in five nations: USA, UK, Italy, West Germany, and Mexico.
• Dimensions Identified: Sense of national identity, attitudes towards political participation, attitudes towards fellow citizens, expectation of government performance, and knowledge of political decision-making.
• Categorized Political Culture in Three Types: Parochial, Subject, and Participant, with the "Civic Culture" as an ideal mix.

Parochial Political Culture

• There is no sense of citizenship.
• Identification is with locality rather than the nation.
• There is a lack of desire and ability to participate in politics.
• Emphasis is on tradition, tribe/village/religion, rather than the national level.

Subject Political Culture

• There is no desire and ability to take part in political activities.
• Political knowledge and participation is limited.
• Examples of Subject Political Culture can be found: Bhutan, Afghanistan, Arab Countries, Uganda.
• Political apathy exists among citizens.
• The ability to influence government is limited.
• Examples of former colonies with Subject Political Culture are: Nigeria, and China.

Participant Political Culture

• There is Full attention to civic culture.
• Public participation is desirable and effective.
• Participant Political Culture is common in liberal developed countries.
• Includes knowledge of active participation and political culture.
• Prioritizes rational activism as better instead of emotional involvement.

Civic Culture

• Combination of Subject and Participant cultures that ensures lasting political stability and democracy.
• Citizens partake in political activities while maintaining confidence with established institutions.
• Supports democratic firmness by fostering responsible participation without causing disruption.
• Found in countries like the UK and the USA, where citizens are politically active with trusted institutions.
• Key Book: The Civic Culture (1963).

Lucian Pye – Political Culture and Political Development

• Key Concept: Political culture evolves and influences political modernisation and institutional development.
• Political culture is informed by historic events and cultural transformations.
• It decides the process of political institutions and response to public needs.
• A development based political culture causes stability within democracy and economic growth.
• Key Book: Political Culture and Political Development (1965).

Robert Putnam – Social Capital and Political Culture

• Strong social capital (trust and civic engagement) is required for a strong political culture.
• Political interest rises if citizens are involved with activities in their communities.
• High trust and exchange make political systems efficient.
• Declining civic capital leads to disengagement, and poor governance.
• Key Book: Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy (1993).

Daniel Elazar – Political Subcultures

• Political culture varies within a nation and can be categorized into Moralistic, Individualistic, and Traditionalistic subcultures.
• Moralistic Culture: Government exists to serve the public welfare.
• Individualistic Culture: Politics is seen as a marketplace for competition.
• Traditionalistic Culture: Politics is controlled by elites, with limited citizen participation.
• Key Book: American Federalism: A View from the States (1966).

Ronald Inglehart – Post-Materialist Political Culture

• Political culture has changed from concerns relating to material (financial security) to post-material values (self-expression and human rights).
• Materialist Culture: Prioritizes economic growth, national security, and law and order.
• Post-Materialist Culture: Concentrates on individual freedom, democracy, and ecological stability.
• This shift occurs as societies become more economically secure.
• Key Book: The Silent Revolution: Changing Values and Political Styles among Western Publics (1977).

S.E. Finer – Political Culture and Military Influence

• The Key Concept is that political culture influences potential intervention from the military when governing.
• Civil-military connections were linked with political culture, explaining that poor legitimacy causes military powers to step in.
• Political culture determines whether the military defers to residents or interferes with politics.
• The Key Point is that it was grouped into four levels, each having a different scale of military contribution.
• Robust political norms grow stability of democracy, while weak norms encourage government takeovers.

Finer’s Classification of Political Culture: Mature Political Culture

• Public widely supports peaceful power transitions.
• Citizens have trust with in political institutes, and partake in governance.
• Power from civil opinions affects policy making.
• The Military's Role is low.
• Military under full civilian control.
• Example: United Kingdom, United States.

Finer’s Classification of Political Culture: Developed Political Culture

• Civil bodies that are strong with structured people in the groups.
• Disputes occasionally arise surrounding legitimacy and moving of civil power.
• The Military's Role is limited.
• May join during political disruptions.
• Example: France, India.

Finer’s Classification of Political Culture: Low Political Culture

• Political groups that are fragile and sensitive to public engagement while governing.
• With a lack of agreement with the rules when governing.
• Highly Frequent military treatments from instability.
• The Military's Role is high.
• Example: Pakistan, Myanmar.

Finer’s Classification of Political Culture: Minimal Political Culture

• Public opinion is absent or ignored.
• Politics are controlled by force or threat of force.
• The Military's Role is comprehensive dominance.
• Based on Governance is military power and laws.
• Example: North Korea, Sudan.