POL SCI 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Cultural Pluralism, Know Nothing, Alexis De Tocqueville
25 Jun 2018
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Monday, October 2, 2017
American Political Culture
What is it to be American?!
-Firstly: patriotism/individualism/voting at forefront!
-Transition: White Supremacy/confrontational politics (depicts more disparities within
lives of Americans)!
-Core Values: (‘American Creed” — things both parties can agree on)!
•Liberalism (in a classical sense — Individual Rights)!
•Equality (equal opportunity — Pursuit of happiness — “American Dream”)!
•Popular Sovereignty (Authority ultimately with the people)!
•Minority Rights (appeal at least) !
-Exceptionalism!
-Tocqueville: “Born equal”!
•Immigrants did not burn class divisions!
•Plentiful land!
•Equal Stakes!
-Lack of rigid hierarchies (Unlike Europe)!
•Leads to: Narrower Political Range (ex. Compare to France — Communist/
Socialist/Center-Right/National Front Parties all apartment) !
Comparing Values/Ideologies!
-Ideas leaving in tension of the “American Creed”!
•Religious exclusivity !
•Belief in racial/ethnic group superiority!
•Classical republicanism/communitarianism!
-There is “public interest”!
-Suspicious of outsiders; fear of “corruption”!
#1
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