Student Essay on Political Culture

Political Culture

Summary:   The understanding of "Political culture" is a powerful, integrating concept of political science, attitudes and beliefs that effect around the nature of political system and the way it works.

Introduction

In this essay I would like to highlight my understanding to the concept of political culture and how useful is it in the studying of politics in some different societies. This essay outline the approach followed in this essay. The concept that examining and using mean different things to different people. During this essay I would look at the concept of political culture and the definition. The aim of this essay is to discuss the definition of political culture by Almond and Verba and in which way that people look in their science of political culture and where their position are? Nevertheless, the relationship between fundamentally beliefs, values, and attitudes and political processes and also institutions is clearly important and will be examined deeply in this essay. The, the next section, looks at the example of the political culture (civic culture) and what did Almond and Verba identified". In Section three discuss the approaches which Almond and Verba clarified and distinguish them in some nations-states. In the following next point, shows in particular the comparison of political system and culture within some societies and analyze how useful is the concept in the societies (Germany, Britain, United Arab Emirates). How useful is the concept for UAE in spite of their small population. Furthermore, I would also examine how cultural assigns are done by citizens and the process of socialization (e.g. people, schools, church, and religion).

The concept of political culture

The understanding of "Political culture" is a powerful, integrating concept of political science, attitudes and beliefs that effect around the nature of political system and the way it works. The phrase come to the forefront in the 1960s When it was first emerged by Almond and employed in The Civic Culture (Used by Almond and Verba, 1963), who discussed that "every political system is embedded in a particular pattern of orientation to political action"(1). Orientations which are they mentioned refers to the aspects of objects and relationships. The concept of political culture actually is that what people respond, feel, and think about politics in their science of mental processes, the

1. Roger Eatwell, R (1997). European political culture. London Routledge. P.1

emotional, beliefs and values. However, that doesn't mean refer to political behavior. It reminds us that maintaining a political regime depends upon thoughts as well as actions. For this reason much political activity at all levels is symbolic, aiming to make people happy with the system. Early 1960s Almond and Verba focused on five states, which were based on the study of political viewpoints in the USA, Britain, Italy, West Germany and also Mexico. The civic culture, which is belonging to them, is one of example of political culture, which they take to refer to the specifically political orientations, which are coming on deeply in the next section.

The civic culture

In the Almond and Verba's (The civic culture 1963), the values and attitudes which is come into existence with, and operate to prove more effective, democratic institutions refer to the conduct in which people within polity view their relationships. The civic culture is plurality, and based on communication and persuasion, the result of that the culture allowed the change but average (make balance) between it. Generally, this civic culture is one example of political culture, which people depend on it and they take to refer to the specifically political orientations. In addition, the political culture is formulated as "the connecting link between micro and macro politics" (2). Moreover, political culture which is based on their conducted late 1950 to 1960 in the five nations which are Britain, USA, West Germany, Mexico and Italy, this lead to recognize the political culture within which a liberal democracy is most likely to remain in existence and develop. Beyond their five states, Almond and Verba have identified three approaches types of political culture in the following next point:

1. Parochial culture.

2. Subject culture.

3. Participant culture.

The three approaches of political culture

According to the five nations Almond and Verba, clarified three important approaches between 1956-1960 (see the chain.3.). The chain shows that the three approaches follow the civic culture and that's mean without civic culture there is no stable and strong democracy and will effect the institutions such as schools, place of work and family. First of all, parochial culture which is, urban people only concentrate on the existence of government, because of remote the family name which is unaffected by government decision that's why they care of it. That's show people are not aware on politics. These types of culture dominate in Mexico. Secondly, Subject culture, which is citizens here, doesn't see themselves as participants in political process but they consider themselves as a subject of government. That's mean people are percept about politics but they careful of participate. These cultures popular and concentrate in West Germany and Italy. Thirdly, the most popular, Participant culture, which is make the relationship between citizens and special institution and the activity, is playing active role. Compared with the other cultures, participant culture here for citizens believe that they affected by contribute to the system. That's mean people have to participate in politics. These approach most common and emerge in America.

The useful of the political culture concept

The useful of political culture in analysing some society's polity, I would like to look at Germany polity and the factors that provide them. This permits me to value the political culture in analysing the government. Constitutional, voting and globalisation are consequences of effecting on the result and standing against the culture.

Political culture is a historic phenomenon in Germany. In fact, Germany was located in the middle of Europe between two directions of religions, Catholic south and Protestant north and it was the starting place for Lutheran reforms. This circumstance separates Germany into two initiatives with Bavaria remaining catholic. The poor Prussia forced under leader and managed to unify Germany into one republic it's called Bismarck republic. However, it's also provided the starting point for efficient government where the reforms get easy to be done. Today, Germany culture has one of the distinctions, which are efficiency, as a result suggested to the strong conservative in Britain historically and high government. On the other hand, France has a few reforms.

There is another republic its called Weimar, there are two main factors helped to create democratic in this republic, which are the efficient, and the access. The consequence after the Second World War reformed and completed the constitution. From these analyse, other two points emerge:

First of all, the warning and ready to prevent the wars in the future and also for other reason don't announce the illegal parties. Secondly, currently Germany's political system thought of as a model for other states, because of the completed of the developments.

Finally, the main points of Germany political culture are integration and unification, which has crated the problems because of the contrast between Bavaria and East Germany, is very different.

British political culture

British political culture was emerged and completed in 1963 by Almond and Verba. There are many features of political culture in Britain but the important and mainly one is the class. The concept of "British class" can be defined objectively or subjectively. Generally, it refers to economic, birth, and connection to the elite ruling. If the classes differ in objective terms, they subjectively separate from each other. So they are unit terms, if they are separate, they become weakly terms. British people organize each other in class terms by the markers class, which are: the dress, language accent and so on.

The educational system provable the class accord of Britain, which prefers the children who have connected very well. However, that doesn't mean just for the education, either they socialize their students in the culture or for the network they established. Furthermore, access to the top position in the future life and to get distinction in important necessaries. Accordingly, the voter goes toward to consider themselves as members of a class and vote. But, the class is not the only characteristic on voting behaviour.

Regionalism as well play active role such as Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which have independence from the centre.

Some scientists believe that the image of deferential working class voter is a myth. Therefore, Britain's voters tend to the collection in the middle of the ideological chain. Northern Ireland is the main exception, where political violence has boiled for along time in the past, which does reflect on the religion, class and culture.

UAE political culture

The political system of the United Arab Emirates is the unity of the traditional and modern, offering the way, which it is possible for the country to move forward and develop of modern administration roles.

The state was created in 1971, a unity between seven emirates. Since 1850s UAE had important relation treaty with British, which was making and guarantee the peace at the sea, particularly during pearling season, which was famous and popular trade in that time.

The ruler of UAE, Sheikh Zayed Al-Nahyan, and he was elected as the first president since 1960s until he died 2004 and take his position his brother (royal family) no voting.

The question is that the way of life is able to maintain itself, because UAE is under strong influence from other ways of life. Is the culture based on the properties of the media, a factor that can affect the way of life? The reason of that is the sensitively of the government in the UAE, the media is subject. I would argue also that people in the UAE are influenced by other ways life in the form of tourism, education, traveling, marriages, and expertise and since the gulf crisis a tendency to more open in the media. The national in the UAE are aware of their identity of the past. (Proverb) "If no body has past, no body has present." This argument seems fact, because recently the witnesses to the re emergence of ethnic communities and arise in nationalist emotion. Finally, I suppose that political culture has power in the sense that a person's ways of life distinguish his or her identity. There are two factors are affect on the way of UAE life, mobilization and assimilation of politics. Final point that I would mention is that the UAE still society if the nationals are integrated into politics because of the small population.

Conclusion

To sum up this essay I would say truly that political culture is the valuable and faith that affect on the works of political system. I suggested from my understanding of political culture also that actually doesn't supply all the answers but it can be starting point. Almond and Verba thought that civic culture analyze the values promote democracy and it based on their conducted of focusing on five countries. I would distinguish each culture in some countries such as parochial culture appears in Mexico, subject in West Germany and finally participant in America.

According to where I live UAE I think dominate on participate culture because we have (royal family) for ruling non-vote. I suggest that the advantage point of the civic culture is that people look to their way of life but on the other hand it has disadvantage which is without civic culture there is no democracy and that lead to expand illegal parties and wars. My point of useful the concept of political culture for analyzing the three states which I've written in (British, Germany, UAE) that Germany has integration and unification adv point, British has important characteristic which is the class every body depend on it, but the UAE because their small population have two factors that affect on the way of life which are mobilization and assimilation. I think every one wants peace, so the peace comes from political system and political culture so every one wants political culture and it's come from socialization. The political culture that I believe is passed from generation to the other. It can come many sources: family, religion, education, and political parties.