Political culture - Approaches to political culture - The civic-culture approach
3 important questions on Political culture - Approaches to political culture - The civic-culture approach
What is civic culture?
A set of specific attitudes which are crucial to the success of modern democracies.
What are the three types of political culture that most effectively uphold democratic politics? (Almond and Verba 1963, 1980)
- A participant political culture: citizens pay close attention to politics, popular participation being desirable and effective.
- A subject political culture: more passivity; recognition that they have only limited capacity to influence government.
- A parochial political culture: absence of a sense of citizenship. People identifying with their locality, instead of nation. No desire or ability to participate.
Civiv culture is a blend of all three. Democratic stability is underpinned by a political culture that is characterized by a blend of activity and passivity (citizens), and a balance between obligation and performance (government).
- A subject political culture: more passivity; recognition that they have only limited capacity to influence government.
- A parochial political culture: absence of a sense of citizenship. People identifying with their locality, instead of nation. No desire or ability to participate.
Civiv culture is a blend of all three. Democratic stability is underpinned by a political culture that is characterized by a blend of activity and passivity (citizens), and a balance between obligation and performance (government).
Why has this approach been critized?
- Its model of the psychological dispositions that make for a stable democracy is highly questionable.
- It rests on the unproved assumption that political attitudes and values shape behaviour, and not the other way around.
- It rests on the unproved assumption that political attitudes and values shape behaviour, and not the other way around.
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