Chapter 4 Focus Questions:

1. The definition of political culture is the distinctive and patterned way of thinking
about how political and economic life ought to be carried out. Some important
aspects of political culture in America are liberty, equality, democracy, civic duty,
and individual responsibility. Americans believe that everyone has rights, and
deserves a chance at equality. We also believe that the government is
accountable to the people, and that individuals are responsible for their own
actions and should be involved in the government when possible.

2. Sweden has a well-developed democracy like America, but its political culture is
more deferential than participatory; almost all adults vote in national elections,
but few participate in any other way. The citizens also tend to defer to
government experts and specialists and rarely challenge governmental decisions
in court. The Swedish also believe in what is best more than what people
want and value equality over liberty. The Japanese value good relations with
colleagues, group decisions, and social harmony. They also emphasize the
importance of being sensitive to personal needs, avoiding conflict, and reaching
decisions through discussion. The Japanese also place tremendous importance
on the respect of hierarchy.

3. The Revolution gave colonists a chance to assert what they believed to be their
political rights and the political disputes that followed gave American political
culture a preoccupation with maintenance of rights. The transition of political
parties in 1800 legitimated the role of the opposition party and demonstrated that
liberty and political change can coexist. The absence of an established religion
facilitated the absence of political orthodoxy. Puritan heritage made its mark on
our government by emphasizing work ethic. Family greatly influences the ways
we think about world and politics. The reason America has a lack of class
consciousness is that most people consider themselves middle class and are
therefore not super aware of the separation of classes.

4. Political efficacy is a citizens capacity to understand and influence political
events and it has two parts: internal and external efficacy. Internal efficacy is
confidence in ones ability to understand and influence events and it has stayed
relatively the same since the 1950s. External efficacy is the belief that the
governmental system will respond to citizens, it is not shaped by particular
events, and it has declined steadily since the 1960s.