Over the years, Democrats and Republicans have moved further apart in their beliefs about the role of government. In 1987, Republican and Democratic answers to forty-eight values questions differed by an average of only 10 percent, but that difference has grown to 18 percent over the last twenty-five years.
Political scientists noted this and other changes in beliefs following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, including an increase in the level of trust in government
Virginia Chanley. 2002. “Trust in Government in the Aftermath of 9/11: Determinants and Consequences.”
Political Psychology 23 (3): 469–483.
and a new willingness to limit liberties for groups or citizens who “[did] not fit into the dominant cultural type.”
Deborah Schildkraut. 2002. “The More Things Change... American Identity and Mass and Elite Responses to 9/11.”
Political Psychology 23 (3): 532.
According to some scholars, these shifts led partisanship to become more polarized than in previous decades, as more citizens began thinking of themselves as conservative or liberal rather than moderate.
Joseph Bafumi and Robert Shapiro. 2009. “A New Partisan Voter.”
The Journal of Politics 71 (1): 1–24.
Some believe 9/11 caused a number of citizens to become more conservative overall, although it is hard to judge whether such a shift will be permanent.
Liz Marlantes, “After 9/11, the Body Politic Tilts to Conservatism,”
Christian Science Monitor , 16 January 2002.
Socialization agents
An
agent of political socialization is a source of political information intended to help citizens understand how to act in their political system and how to make decisions on political matters. The information may help a citizen decide how to vote, where to donate money, or how to protest decisions made by the government.
The most prominent agents of socialization are family and school. Other influential agents are social groups, such as religious institutions and friends, and the media. Political socialization is not unique to the United States. Many nations have realized the benefits of socializing their populations. China, for example, stresses nationalism in schools as a way to increase national unity.
Liping Weng. 2010. “Shanghai Children’s Value Socialization and Its Change: A Comparative Analysis of Primary School Textbooks.”
China Media Research 6 (3): 36–43.
In the United States, one benefit of socialization is that our political system enjoys
diffuse support , which is support characterized by a high level of stability in politics, acceptance of the government as legitimate, and a common goal of preserving the system.
David Easton. 1965.
A Systems Analysis of Political Life . New York: John Wiley.
These traits keep a country steady, even during times of political or social upheaval. But diffuse support does not happen quickly, nor does it occur without the help of agents of political socialization.
For many children, family is the first introduction to politics. Children may hear adult conversations at home and piece together the political messages their parents support. They often know how their parents or grandparents plan to vote, which in turn can socialize them into political behavior such as political party membership.
Angus Campbell, Philip Converse, Warren Miller, and Donald Stokes. 2008.
The American Voter: Unabridged Edition . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Michael S. Lewis-Beck, William G. Jacoby, Helmut Norpoth, and Herbert F. Weisberg. 2008.
American Vote Revisited . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Children who accompany their parents on Election Day in November are exposed to the act of voting and the concept of civic duty, which is the performance of actions that benefit the country or community. Families active in community projects or politics make children aware of community needs and politics.
OpenStax, American government. OpenStax CNX. Dec 05, 2016 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11995/1.15
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