Civic Culture

Definition

Civic culture refers to the attitudes, beliefs, and values that underlie and shape the political behavior and participation of citizens within a given society. It encompasses the norms, traditions, and informal rules that guide how citizens engage with the political system and with one another.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Civic culture is shaped by a society's history, traditions, and social structures, and it can vary significantly across different countries and regions.
2. A healthy civic culture is characterized by high levels of political knowledge, trust in government institutions, and a sense of civic duty among citizens.
3. Civic culture can influence the degree to which citizens participate in political processes, such as voting, contacting elected officials, and engaging in community organizations.
4. The level of civic culture within a society can have important implications for the stability and functioning of its political system.
5. Civic culture is often contrasted with 'subject culture,' where citizens are passive and deferential towards the government, and 'participant culture,' where citizens are actively engaged in the political process.

Review Questions

• Explain how civic culture is shaped by a society's history, traditions, and social structures.
  • A society's civic culture is heavily influenced by its historical experiences, cultural traditions, and social hierarchies. For example, a country with a long history of authoritarian rule may have a civic culture characterized by low levels of trust in government and a sense of political powerlessness among citizens. Conversely, a society with a strong tradition of civic engagement and community-based organizations may foster a civic culture where citizens are more actively involved in political processes and have a greater sense of civic duty.
• Describe the relationship between civic culture and political participation.
  • Civic culture can have a significant impact on the level and nature of political participation within a society. A healthy civic culture, characterized by high levels of political knowledge, trust in government institutions, and a sense of civic duty, is often associated with higher rates of voter turnout, engagement with elected officials, and participation in community organizations. Conversely, a civic culture marked by apathy, distrust, and a sense of political powerlessness can lead to lower levels of political engagement and a more passive, deferential relationship between citizens and the government.
• Analyze how the concept of civic culture relates to the stability and functioning of a political system.
  • The civic culture of a society can have important implications for the stability and effectiveness of its political system. A strong, vibrant civic culture, where citizens are actively engaged in the political process and have a sense of ownership and investment in the system, can contribute to the legitimacy and responsiveness of the government. This, in turn, can foster greater political stability and the ability of the system to address the needs and concerns of the citizenry. Conversely, a civic culture characterized by apathy, distrust, and a lack of political efficacy can undermine the legitimacy of the political system and lead to instability, conflict, and a breakdown in the functioning of government institutions.

Related terms

Political Culture: The system of empirical beliefs, expressive symbols, and values that define the situation in which political action takes place.

Political Socialization: The process by which individuals acquire political orientations and patterns of behavior.

Civic Engagement: The active participation of citizens in the life of a community in order to improve conditions for others or to help shape the community's future.