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Lecture notes for agents of socialization

(primarily drawn from “American Government” by James Q. Wilson and John J. DiIulio)

Family

            -- Family is probably the primary influence on political affiliation

1- among high school seniors only 9 percent belong to members of the opposite party of their parents

2- In adults 60 percent are the same party and the rest are mostly independents, few are opposite party

            -- Do see more difference in policy areas

                        Especially in areas of civil liberties and race in today’s young

                        (note: if family is highly political then the communication of those norms is more effective and longstanding)

School

            -- Elementary school – give sense of national pride, idealized notion of gov., introduction of authority figures outside the family, gov. seen often as the president

            -- High school – Greater knowledge of system, can see erosion in trust of gov (especially among urban youth), most knowledgeable about current events than past history

            -- College – (important because about 25 % receive college degrees)

                        Students usually become more liberal -- longer they are in college the more liberal they become

WHY?

                        1. People who go to college may be prone to liberalism

                        2. People are exposed to a wider variety of materials (possibly produced by a liberal cultural elite)

                        3. College teaches liberalism (because of a belief in consistent idealism that leads to contempt for pragmatic compromises, institutions, and public opinion)

Exception – The higher education level = more socially liberal (personal freedom), but more fiscally conservative (economic freedom) – possibly a reflection of class

·        College kids today are entering college slightly more conservative than their predecessors in the 1970s

How long do you stay liberal?

Depends on: did you marry liberal? are your friends liberal? level of education, level of activism during college

Class

                        We usually have seen blue collar, or unskilled workers embrace Democratic and liberal views on economic policy

                        Professionals tend to be more conservative on econ. policy

But the electoral division between the classes seems to be narrowing

1- many people vote on social, moral and foreign policy and not econ. issues

                                                2- education is liberalizing

Race

                        African-Americans

                                    Heavily democratic (78%) (though younger Blacks more willing to vote Republican)

                        Hispanic

                                    Mostly Democratic (54%) but can have crossover (George W. Bush as governor) – Mexican American = Democratic, Cuban-American = Republican

                        Asian

                                    Slim majority who are Republican (38 % Repub, 35% Dem) – Japanese = more conservative, Korean = more liberal

                        White

More likely to be Republican (35% Repub, 37% Dem) than Black or Hispanic (but not Asian)

Gender

                        Since the 1960s – more men have been becoming Republicans creating a gender gap (is a pattern seen throughout the world)

                                    Main reason seems to be men’s conservatism on social issues like gay rights, abortion, gun control and size of government                     

About 58% of women identify as Democrats

Religion

                        Generally Protestants more conservative than Catholics who are more conservative than Jews

                                    Why?

                                                Class – Jews and Catholics were immigrants who saw more support with Liberals

                                                Religious tradition – Protestants – individual salvation

                                                                                    Jews – social justice

The difference is fading with time – tend not to see a lot of diff on economic issues, more difference on social issues

Region – (Don’t see big differences in economic policy)

                        South – more conservative socially

                        Northeast – more liberal socially

                        Midwest – more conservative socially

                        West – More liberal socially