POLITICAL CULTURE

Political Culture

Political Culture

This research paper seeks to compare the Canadian and American political cultures. Although these two nations are quite similar to each other still they have differences among their political cultures. This paper will highlight the major values that make up the two political cultures. Other than that, it also explains the differences and similarities in the two political cultures.

Brief introduction of American and Canadian Political Culture

Canada

Since the 1960s, Canadian culture has dramatically changed - most times for the better. With the end of World War II, Canada experienced a population boom like it had never seen before. Soldiers coming back from the War started large families, moved to the suburbs, and demanded better paying and more protected jobs. While we have looked at this in the preceding unit, we also need to look at what happened partially as a result of all of these post- War changes, and that is the development of social movements in Canada. There have been a variety of social movements in Canada since the end of World War II.

Canada has seen the role and place of immigrants, women, Aboriginals, and even its structural programs dramatically change and evolve over the last fifty years. The growth of international migration means that more and more people are faced with the challenge of transitioning from one political system to another. The challenge involves more than figuring out how to vote in a different country. Incorporating into a new political system involves acquiring knowledge about new sets of politicians, engaging in various forms of political activities, and learning the practical details about how a government programs and services work. Of course, the degree of political incorporation varies from person to person. It depends upon what makes some immigrant more likely to be politically integrated than others.

America

The political ideas dominant during the almost 400 years since Europeans settled on the North American continent and what became the United States of America. American political thought is diverse in origin and historical development, but certain dominant themes of democracy, equality, individualism, religion, and progress characterize uniquely "American" political theory when compared with European, Asian, or African. The earliest American political thought was simply an extension of the prevailing British government: an absolute monarchy, limited representative Parliament, feudalism, and an official Protestant state church. The British colonies in North America were ruled with royal governors under royal charters, beginning with those of Queen Elizabeth I. All land and authority was granted by the Crown and protected by the British military.

American government has been leveraged by a variety of different persons and groups. The two most routinely assemblies that argued over the United States Constitution were the Federalists, and the Anti-Federalists. Many of the privileges and rules of our nationwide and state authorities were established by these two parties who had very converse attitudes on how our nation's government should be administrated.

Discussion

Canadian Political Culture

Informal political participation

There are varying forms of non-electoral participation, as evidenced by the literature on the voluntary ...