Political Science 101: American Government and Politics

Lecture 3: Political Values and Ideology

Key Topics:

1. Political Values and Ideology
2. U.S. Political Culture
3. Summary of Key Points

Political Values and Ideology

• Ideology: An organized set of values individuals hold.
  • Key Values:
    • Order (Law and Order)
    • Freedom (Liberty)
    • Equality
• Trade-offs between Values:
  • Order vs. Freedom
  • Freedom vs. Equality

Ideological Spectrum

• Left and Right: Originated post-French Revolution with random seating.
• Classical Liberalism:
  • Originated from 18th-century English and Scottish political philosophy.
  • Advocates individual rights and limited government.
  • Associated with figures like Adam Smith and Thomas Jefferson.

Trade-offs in Ideological Spectrum

1. Freedom vs. Order (Social/Cultural Issues):

   • Left (Liberalism/Libertarianism):
     • Favors more freedom, less government intervention.
     • Examples: Free speech, privacy rights, same-sex marriage.
   • Right (Conservatism):
     • Favors more order, government involvement.
     • Examples: Tradition, marriage regulation, religious role.

2. Equality vs. Freedom (Economic Issues):

   • Left (Social Democracy):
     • More regulation for economic equality.
     • Examples: Minimum wage, environmental regulation.
   • Right (Economic Liberalism):
     • Prefers free markets, less regulation.

Two-Dimensional Ideological Chart

• Quadrants:
  1. Social Democracy (Top Left):
     • More social freedom, economic regulation.
  2. Conservatism (Bottom Right):
     • More social order, economic freedom.
  3. Classical Liberalism/Libertarianism (Top Right):
     • Maximum freedom, limited government.
  4. Humanitarianism (Bottom Left):
     • Regulation in both market and social affairs.

American Political Culture

• Definition: Broader than ideology, includes shared national values and beliefs.
• American Values:
  • Individualism
  • Liberty
  • Equality of Opportunity
  • Democracy and Self-Government

Key Concepts:

• Path Dependence (John Kingdom):

  • Historical influence on political institutions.
  • Fragmented power within federal and state governments.

• Global Attitude Survey:

  • American preference for individual freedom over state guarantees.
  • Emphasis on the "American Dream."

Summary of Key Points

• Political Ideology: Values of freedom, order, and equality involve trade-offs.

• Ideological Preferences:

  • U.S. Democrats: Freedom over order, equality over freedom.
  • U.S. Republicans: Order over freedom, freedom over equality.

• Political Culture vs. Ideology:

  • Political culture is broader, includes shared values about government.
  • U.S. culture emphasizes liberty, freedom, individualism, and equality of opportunity.