AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE

What Americans think about the government?

- Americans are historically suspicious about politicians
- They trust to government is on the decline
-

Generally, Americans dont trust the central government, but in

situation of crisis, they expect the government to give effective
responses to their aspirations
they require governments interventions in crisis times, support governments
choices and expect it to have a good reaction
As a result, there is a loss of political efficacy in the USA.

Political efficacy: Ability of citizens to influence government politics

Citizenship: Knowledge and participation

Citizenship is based on political knowledge
Allow citizen to know how politics is relevant to their life, to participate
efficiently in government politics, to know their duties and rights
It is good to be politically aware because, it helps to make better choices
in election and positively influence government action.
Americans can be good citizens by having a strong knowledge
on political issues so that they can participate constructively in
the political debate

GOVERNMENT

Government: institutions and procedures through which a territory and its

people are ruled
A Government is a needed institution: security, public good and services,
distributive justice.
Different forms (autocracy, oligarchy, democracy) and types (constitutional,
authoritarian, totalitarian)
Limits have been put on government power since the 17th century by
aristocracy
Participation in politics was opened to people of lower class

Politics conflict competition over the leadership, structure and policies of

governments
Power: influence over a governments leadership, organization, or
policies(Through vote, strike, letters to the government)

Who are Americans?

USA is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society

White Americans/ European origin

Africans Americans
Latinos
Asian Americans
European Americans
Natives
foreigners

Thinking critically about American political culture

American political system tends to respect three main values: Liberty,
Equality and Democracy (affirmative actions)
Liberty, Equality and democracy: the core values of us political
culture.

CHAPTER REVIEW
1. Which restrictions on voting have been repealed in the USA political history?
Restriction on property, gender and race.
2. American conception of liberty
liberty of speech, religion and enterprise
3. Principles of American democracy
Popular sovereignty: belief that citizens hold the power in their hands
Majority rules for minority rights: even if government follow the
majority will, they still protect minority interests.

4. Mining of pluralism and it importance

The fact that people get together to form group of interests and finance
political leaders in order to influence government action.
5. Political efficacy
The idea that any citizens can impact on government action
It is important in a democracy because in a democracy, all citizens
deserve the right to complain about government actions.
6. Evolution of trust in government after 9/11
Just after 9/11, Americans trusted in the government. In fact, they

wanted it to do the right thing. However, several years after, the trust in
the government decreased rapidly.
7. Underlying factors of a good citizenship
Political participation: Citizens must take part into political live
Political knowledge: Citizens must have some basic knowledge in
politics order to well evaluate government action.
8. Americans reaction to political issues and political leaders.
Americans dont know much about political issues because they are not
involved in politics.
As for political leaders, they mostly recognize those who are in national
government (famous politicians).
9. Difference between Autocracy and Oligarchy
In an autocracy, only one person sets rules. Contrary, the majority of
rules are taken by a small group of people.

QUESTIONS

What does political efficacy consist in? Page 8

Given the citizen all the necessary tools to affect governmental decision in a
constructive way
How did Americans trust their government evolve after 9/11 P5-8
How do Americans generally react to political issues and political
leaders P9
Harold Lasswell said : Politics is a struggle over what we gets
what, when, and how Whats the meaning of a such statement P15
Politics is a struggle in an arena where fighters are political actors and all of
them are fighting for power. For that reason they use strategies in order to
react on the right time ,the appropriate opportunity
What does direct democracy consist in as a form of rule P15
Political system through which citizen can elect their representative
themselves
What are the two basic requirement of good citizenship P10-11

The quality of your participation depend on your quality of your knowledge