AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE American Political Ideals (Cont’d) May 21 th, 2003.

AMERICAN POLITICAL AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURECULTURE

American Political Ideals American Political Ideals (Cont’d)(Cont’d)

May 21May 21thth, 2003, 2003

Elements of American Political Elements of American Political CultureCulture• libertyliberty

• egalitarianismegalitarianism– equality of opportunityequality of opportunity

• mass democracy/populismmass democracy/populism

• individualism and individual responsibilityindividualism and individual responsibility

• voluntarismvoluntarism

• moral absolutismmoral absolutism

• patriotismpatriotism

POLITICAL CULTURE:POLITICAL CULTURE:Where Does It Come From?Where Does It Come From?

• ImmigrationImmigration

• GeographyGeography

POLITICAL CULTURE:POLITICAL CULTURE:Where Does It Come From?Where Does It Come From?

• HISTORICAL EVENTSHISTORICAL EVENTS– American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

• patriotismpatriotism• emphasized liberty and democracyemphasized liberty and democracy

– American Civil WarAmerican Civil War• emphasized idea of “one nation”emphasized idea of “one nation”

POLITICAL CULTURE:POLITICAL CULTURE:Where Does It Come From?Where Does It Come From?

• ECONOMYECONOMY– dynamic, rapidly growing economydynamic, rapidly growing economy

– reinforced notions of equality of reinforced notions of equality of opportunity, individualism, and opportunity, individualism, and individual responsibilityindividual responsibility

POLITICAL CULTURE:POLITICAL CULTURE:Where Does It Come From?Where Does It Come From?

• POLITICAL INSTITUTIONSPOLITICAL INSTITUTIONS– reflect political culture but also reinforce reflect political culture but also reinforce

itit

– constitutional emphasis on individual constitutional emphasis on individual rights and limited governmentrights and limited government

– political practice emphasizing mass political practice emphasizing mass participation participation

POLITICAL CULTURE:POLITICAL CULTURE:Where Does It Come From?Where Does It Come From?

• PLACE IN THE WORLDPLACE IN THE WORLD– major superpowermajor superpower

• doctrine of isolationism ultimately doctrine of isolationism ultimately unsustainableunsustainable

– reinforced patriotism and moral reinforced patriotism and moral absolutismabsolutism

Elements of American Political Elements of American Political CultureCulture• libertyliberty

• egalitarianismegalitarianism– equality of opportunityequality of opportunity

• mass democracy/populismmass democracy/populism

• individualism and individual responsibilityindividualism and individual responsibility

• voluntarismvoluntarism

• moral absolutismmoral absolutism

• patriotismpatriotism

Main Point!Main Point!

• American politics is shaped by various values American politics is shaped by various values (sometimes contradictory) which arose out of (sometimes contradictory) which arose out of the historical context in which the US political the historical context in which the US political system developedsystem developed– these values and the historical context have been these values and the historical context have been

self-reinforcingself-reinforcing

• this political culture is this political culture is widely shared and widely shared and deeply embeddeddeeply embedded– commitment to these values is often shared by commitment to these values is often shared by

those critical of American political practicethose critical of American political practice

AMERICAN AMERICAN FEDERALISMFEDERALISM

May 21, 2003May 21, 2003

Establishing the Two Establishing the Two OrdersOrders of of Government -- FederalismGovernment -- Federalism• Why Have a Federal Government?Why Have a Federal Government?

– practical reasonspractical reasons– philosophical reasoningphilosophical reasoning

• Why Maintain State Governments?Why Maintain State Governments?– practical reasonspractical reasons– philosophical reasoningphilosophical reasoning

Level of CentralizationLevel of Centralization

Confederation

Large Unitary Gov’t

Federalism

Decentralized Federation

Centralized Federation

US 2002US 2002

Small Unitary Gov’ts

US 1789US 1789

Indicators of CentralizationIndicators of Centralization

• size of the federal governmentsize of the federal government– expenditures, programs, budgetsexpenditures, programs, budgets

• federal grants-in-aid, mandatesfederal grants-in-aid, mandates– federal inducements/requirements that states federal inducements/requirements that states

undertake certain actionsundertake certain actions

• federal preemptionfederal preemption– regulation of interstate commerceregulation of interstate commerce

Centralization in ContextCentralization in Context

• examples of differences in the exercise of examples of differences in the exercise of powers reserved for the statespowers reserved for the states– the death penaltythe death penalty

– right to die (e.g. assisted suicide)right to die (e.g. assisted suicide)

– gun controlgun control

– referendums/initiativesreferendums/initiatives

American FederalismAmerican Federalism

• explanations of centralizationexplanations of centralization– idea of “one nation”idea of “one nation”

• E Pluribus UnumE Pluribus Unum• American civil warAmerican civil war• citizen demands for rights to be extended equally across citizen demands for rights to be extended equally across

the nationthe nation– representation of state interests representation of state interests withinwithin the national the national

government as opposed to representation through government as opposed to representation through relations between state governments and national relations between state governments and national governmentgovernment

• the Senate!the Senate!

The New FederalismThe New Federalism

• the devolution revolutionthe devolution revolution– 1980-20021980-2002

– peaked in 1994 with Contract with Americapeaked in 1994 with Contract with America

The “New” FederalismThe “New” Federalism1980-20001980-2000

(Confederation)

Large Unitary Gov’t

Federalism

Decentralized Federation

Centralized Federation

US 1980US 1980

Small Unitary Gov’ts

The Devolution RevolutionThe Devolution Revolution

• causes and underlying issuescauses and underlying issues– about limiting governmentabout limiting government– still about issues relating to racialized politicsstill about issues relating to racialized politics

• e.g. welfare reforme.g. welfare reform

The Devolution RevolutionThe Devolution Revolution• Thoedore LowiThoedore Lowi

– devolution is about dual federalism and dual devolution is about dual federalism and dual citizenshipcitizenship

– proponents of devolution believe... proponents of devolution believe... • states rights should predominate on issues of race, states rights should predominate on issues of race,

class and genderclass and gender• this was the case from 1930-1960 but was this was the case from 1930-1960 but was

abrogated during the 1960s and 1970sabrogated during the 1960s and 1970s• devolution is an attempt to return to the proper state devolution is an attempt to return to the proper state

of thingsof things

– explains idiosyncratic patterns of federal vs. explains idiosyncratic patterns of federal vs. state dominancestate dominance

Main Message!Main Message!

• federalism...federalism...– not simply a technical issue about which not simply a technical issue about which

gov’t is best placed to do whatgov’t is best placed to do what

– involves philosophical questions regarding involves philosophical questions regarding the overall role of governmentthe overall role of government• including issues of race!including issues of race!