Political Participation: Chapter 2
America offers many ways to get involved in politics, however, most Americans do not make an effort to become a part of the “political community”
OUTLETS OF POLITICAL EXPRESSION
Contacting local and national offices.
Working for political parties
Discussing politics with friends and neighbors
Attending public meetings.
Joining election campaigns
Petitions
Talking on radio
Voting
VOTING
Of all the democratic countries, fewer Americans go to the polls than most other democracies.
The number of Americans going to the polls has declined by a quarter in the past 36 years.
Non voting is the most visible symptom of a broader disengagement from community life.
Reasons people do not vote:
Growing distrust of government
Declining party mobilization
Fraying social bonds
Political dealignment
Generational change (gradual replacement of voters who came of age before or during the New Deal and WWI by later generation.
Types of Social and Generational Change:
Intracohort- many people change their tastes and habits in one direction simultaneously. For example in the 1990’s everyone bought more S.U.V.’s because this change was seen in all age cohorts, it is intracohort.
Intercohort- This type of change is much slower. Different generations do not change their beliefs, so older ones have to die out before the norm of the belief is changed. Sexual morality is a good example of intercohort change, older generations are more modest in their sexual expression, but now that they are older and dying out sex is becoming more socially acceptable (as seen on TV., in magazines, etc.).
IGNORANCE
Americans are now less likely to know the dynamics of politics which makes them less likely to participate.
Fewer Americans follow public affairs
$Money$
Parties have become better financed over the years despite the fact that fewer Americans participate in political activities.
Financial capital has replaced social capital- People donate more money instead of donating time. Participation in politics is increasingly based on the checkbook.
PARTICIPATION
Frequency of every form of community involvement measure in the Roper Poles declined significantly.
“cooperative” forms of behavior (ex. Committees) have declined more rapidly than “expressive” forms of behavior. This is an indicator of a more individualistic.
Cooperation is falling more rapidly than self-expression, so people are more likely to identify problems, but less likely to get together to fix them.
OUTLETS OF POLITICAL EXPRESSION
Contacting local and national offices.
Working for political parties
Discussing politics with friends and neighbors
Attending public meetings.
Joining election campaigns
Petitions
Talking on radio
Voting
VOTING
Of all the democratic countries, fewer Americans go to the polls than most other democracies.
The number of Americans going to the polls has declined by a quarter in the past 36 years.
Non voting is the most visible symptom of a broader disengagement from community life.
Reasons people do not vote:
Growing distrust of government
Declining party mobilization
Fraying social bonds
Political dealignment
Generational change (gradual replacement of voters who came of age before or during the New Deal and WWI by later generation.
Types of Social and Generational Change:
Intracohort- many people change their tastes and habits in one direction simultaneously. For example in the 1990’s everyone bought more S.U.V.’s because this change was seen in all age cohorts, it is intracohort.
Intercohort- This type of change is much slower. Different generations do not change their beliefs, so older ones have to die out before the norm of the belief is changed. Sexual morality is a good example of intercohort change, older generations are more modest in their sexual expression, but now that they are older and dying out sex is becoming more socially acceptable (as seen on TV., in magazines, etc.).
IGNORANCE
Americans are now less likely to know the dynamics of politics which makes them less likely to participate.
Fewer Americans follow public affairs
$Money$
Parties have become better financed over the years despite the fact that fewer Americans participate in political activities.
Financial capital has replaced social capital- People donate more money instead of donating time. Participation in politics is increasingly based on the checkbook.
PARTICIPATION
Frequency of every form of community involvement measure in the Roper Poles declined significantly.
“cooperative” forms of behavior (ex. Committees) have declined more rapidly than “expressive” forms of behavior. This is an indicator of a more individualistic.
Cooperation is falling more rapidly than self-expression, so people are more likely to identify problems, but less likely to get together to fix them.
posted by Make change ... at 10:24 AM
3 Comments:
test
Since the 2000 election, the percentage of the American public voting has increased. Though the figures differ, they are higher than rates for the last several decades.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/004986.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10492-2005Jan14.html
I think that would be a mistake. First of all, it would lead to many errors with people accidentally pressing the wrong button or not knowing how to work the system. Secondly, voting should not just be something we do because it happens to be convenient. It should take some effort-showing that we actually took the time to go vote and care about the outcome. Otherwise, it's no different than just calling in to American Idol to pick who you think can sing better. Do Americans really want our political system to be the same as that?
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