Chapter 7 Regime Type and Culture
This chapter focuses on the relationship between regime type and culture, asking questions such as “Does democracy require a”democratic culture?" or “Are certain cultures incompatible with democracy?”
7.1 Primodrdialist vs. Constructivist
7.1.1 Primodrdialist approach
Treat culture as something that is objective and inherited; something that has been fixed since “primordial” times. Primordialist arguments imply that democracy is not for everyone.
7.1.2 Constructivist approach
Treat culture as something that is constructed or invented rather than inherited. According to this approach, a democratic culture is required for democracy. However, cultures are malleable and are not given once and for all.
7.2 Classical Cultural Modernization Theory
Cultural modernization theory argues that socioeconomic development does not directly cause democracy; instead, economic development produces certain cultural changes and it is these cultural changes that ultimately produce democratic reform.
7.2.1 Problems
7.2.1.1 First problem
Most of these things are left rather vague. If culturalist arguments are to have any explanatory power, they must distinguish and specify what it is that matters. Otherwise, it will never be possible to conclude that culture does not matter.
7.2.1.2 Second problem
It is challenging to identify the causal relationship among cultural, economic, and political factors. Does culture cause political institutions such as democracy? Does it also cause economic development? Or do political institutions and economic development cause culture?
7.3 Almond and Verba (1965) A civic culture
Almond and Verba (1963) suggest three types of political culture through the use of survey.
- Parochial
suitable for traditional system of African tribes.
- Subject
suitable for centralized authoritarian systems.
- Participant
suitable for democracy.
Only “participant” or “civic” culture is compatible with democracy.
- Culture
how individuals think and feel about the political system.
They believed that we can study culture by conducting surveys. The answers to the survey reflect the political culture.
7.4 Inglehart (1990)
Studied 25 industrialized countries and found that countries with high levels of life satisfaction and interpersonal trust as well as low support for revolutionary change were more stable democracies. He concluded that civic culture was necessary for democracy.
7.5 Direction of causality
What is the exact causal relationship between economic development, culture, and democracy? We can see two different stories:
“Values Story”: Inglehart (1990, 1997)
- Economic development → Democracy → Culture
“Institutional Story”: Muller and Seligson (1994), Seligson (2002)
- Economic development → Culture → Democracy
Inglehart and Welzel (2005) argue that societal development causes individuals to favor self-expression over security, and it is this cultural shift that fosters democratization.
- Self-expression: survey responses related to life satisfaction, interpersonal trust, postmaterialism, homosexuality, and signing petitions.
Considerable evidence in support of the values story and negligible support for the institutional story.
7.6 Concepts you should know
civic culture
constructivist arguments
cultural modernization theory
priomordialist argument