Political Culture
Political Culture is the combination of attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and values of society with particular reference to political issues. It can be measured in terms of public opinions, surveys, public statements and writings.
According to A.R. Ball, he says that a political culture is composed of the attitudes, beliefs, emotions and values of society that related to political system and political issue.
It is wrong to believe that political culture is static but it changes as a result of response to new idea, the impact of new leaders, population changes, and many other factors.
With the help of changes, it continues from generation to generation and this process is made possible by what is known as political socialization.
Foundation of Political Culture
Political culture can be both diverse as well as homogeneous but in both the cases. It is the product of many inter-related factors. It is influenced by historical, geographical, and socio-economic factors and these are its very foundations.
1- Traditional Foundation
In political culture, tradition plays a very big role. No new political culture can violate or all of a sudden change its tradition or historical background.
It is because tradition has their value in society and these are liked by vast majority. A nation which is traditionally a monarchy cannot become a republic all of a sudden. Similarly, even a nation have liked for parliamentary form of government cannot shift to presidential system.
For instance, England is a monarchy traditionally does not like to change to republic.
2- Geographical Foundation
Geography considerably helps in fashioning political culture. England political culture did not remand disturbed in the past simply because of geographical isolation. On the other hand, after world war II, west Germany are said to have accepted the particular structure of the federal republic partly because of their geographical position between the two big powers.
Geographical boundaries also play their own part in so far as political culture is concerned.
3- Ethnic Group of Loyalties
Political culture is very also influenced by ethnic group royalties.
A.R. Ball has pointed out that religion was used by the Irish people in their demand for separate Irish State during their struggle for freedom in 1922 against British.
4- Socio-Economic Foundation
Political culture is very much influenced by socio-economic system. An urban industrialized society is always more complex one but has rapid communication system. The people are literate and they are very much participating in decision making process. They are also ready to accept changes.
Dimensions of Political Culture
According to Almond and Powell, Political culture has 3 dimensions namely- Cognitive, Affective, Evaluative orientations-
1-Cognitive Orientation
They mean recognition of political objects and views. It means knowledge of political system by the people.
2-Affective Orientation
They mean feeling about acceptance or rejection of particular political culture and objects.
3-Evaluative Orientation
They mean application of judgments and opinions of political objectives and events.
Typology of Political Culture
Almond and verba have divided political culture into 3 categories-
1-Parochial Political Culture
People by large have no awareness of national political system. People are not politically conscious and their expectations from their political bosses are very low.
2-Subject Political Culture
People are familiar with political roles and they have sufficient knowledge about methods of influencing political decision makers.
3-Participant Political Culture
People are aware of structure and process of political system. They have orientation towards the system as a whole.
Political Culture is the combination of attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and values of society with particular reference to political issues. It can be measured in terms of public opinions, surveys, public statements and writings.
According to A.R. Ball, he says that a political culture is composed of the attitudes, beliefs, emotions and values of society that related to political system and political issue.
It is wrong to believe that political culture is static but it changes as a result of response to new idea, the impact of new leaders, population changes, and many other factors.
With the help of changes, it continues from generation to generation and this process is made possible by what is known as political socialization.
Foundation of Political Culture
Political culture can be both diverse as well as homogeneous but in both the cases. It is the product of many inter-related factors. It is influenced by historical, geographical, and socio-economic factors and these are its very foundations.
1- Traditional Foundation
In political culture, tradition plays a very big role. No new political culture can violate or all of a sudden change its tradition or historical background.
It is because tradition has their value in society and these are liked by vast majority. A nation which is traditionally a monarchy cannot become a republic all of a sudden. Similarly, even a nation have liked for parliamentary form of government cannot shift to presidential system.
For instance, England is a monarchy traditionally does not like to change to republic.
2- Geographical Foundation
Geography considerably helps in fashioning political culture. England political culture did not remand disturbed in the past simply because of geographical isolation. On the other hand, after world war II, west Germany are said to have accepted the particular structure of the federal republic partly because of their geographical position between the two big powers.
Geographical boundaries also play their own part in so far as political culture is concerned.
3- Ethnic Group of Loyalties
Political culture is very also influenced by ethnic group royalties.
A.R. Ball has pointed out that religion was used by the Irish people in their demand for separate Irish State during their struggle for freedom in 1922 against British.
4- Socio-Economic Foundation
Political culture is very much influenced by socio-economic system. An urban industrialized society is always more complex one but has rapid communication system. The people are literate and they are very much participating in decision making process. They are also ready to accept changes.
Dimensions of Political Culture
According to Almond and Powell, Political culture has 3 dimensions namely- Cognitive, Affective, Evaluative orientations-
1-Cognitive Orientation
They mean recognition of political objects and views. It means knowledge of political system by the people.
2-Affective Orientation
They mean feeling about acceptance or rejection of particular political culture and objects.
3-Evaluative Orientation
They mean application of judgments and opinions of political objectives and events.
Typology of Political Culture
Almond and verba have divided political culture into 3 categories-
1-Parochial Political Culture
People by large have no awareness of national political system. People are not politically conscious and their expectations from their political bosses are very low.
2-Subject Political Culture
People are familiar with political roles and they have sufficient knowledge about methods of influencing political decision makers.
3-Participant Political Culture
People are aware of structure and process of political system. They have orientation towards the system as a whole.
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