The Civic Culture : Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations

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Summary: classic studies of political culture
Review: In their classic studies of political culture, Almond and Verba attempted to use "civic propensities" to explain the stability of governments. There method was quite groundbreaking, for comparative political scientists of those times were heavily into analyzing constitutions. But just reading these legal documents was not proving much explanation for social changes. This was the context in which their work progressed. In the opening chapter of the Civic Culture, Almond & Verba define a civic culture as "a pluralistic culture based on communication and persuasion, a culture of consensus and diversity, a culture that permitted change but moderated it" (pp. 6). For them, Britain and the United States were prime examples of such cultures. The reason was that the citizens of these countries operated in a culture with a highly effective set of orientations towards politics. These orientations include a tendency to have pride in one's government and expect good t! reatment from it. Citizens of a civic culture operate under a myth of sorts-they are not actively involved or interested in politics, but they believe that "the people" are politically powerful. There is just the right mixture of pragmatism and emotional commitment.