11. Political Culture

Politics is not just about predictable, measurable things such as legislatures and elections. Culture, history, religion, morality – all of these and more shape people’s political beliefs and political behaviors. There is no single “political culture” and the culture within a single state changes over time. The political culture of China, a one-party authoritarian socialist republic, is very different from the political culture of Japan; a multi-party, socially conservative, constitutional monarchy. The political culture of Spain in 1950, a fascist military dictatorship, was very different to the political culture of Spain today; a liberal democracy with progres- sive rights. The characteristics of a state reflect the beliefs, values, and norms which prevail at that moment in history.

Beliefs are what people think is factually right and wrong, and what the world is.

Values are what people think is morally right and wrong, and what the world should be.

Norms are codes of behavior which society tolerates or promotes, to bal- ance values and beliefs.