U.S. political culture shapes what Americans expect from government and from one another. Globalization adds cross-border influences that can reinforce, challenge, or reshape those expectations through ideas, information, migration, and international events.

U.S. Political Culture: What It Is and Why It Matters

U.S. political culture refers to widely shared beliefs about how politics should work, what government should do, and what citizens owe each other in a democracy.

Political culture matters because it:

• Establishes “common sense” assumptions about legitimacy (which institutions and outcomes people accept as rightful)

• Shapes reactions to new policies (what seems fair, constitutional, or overreach)

• Influences how people interpret political conflict (as normal pluralism or as unacceptable threats)

Democratic Ideals, Principles, and Core Values

The syllabus emphasises that U.S. political culture is defined by democratic ideals, principles, and core values. In practice, these guide political expectations such as:

• Popular sovereignty: Government authority ultimately comes from the people (elections and consent)

• Political equality: Citizens should have equal political standing (e.g., equal votes, equal protection)

• Liberty and rights: Individual freedoms are central and should be protected from unjust government action

• Limited government and constitutionalism: Government power should be constrained by law and institutional rules

• Rule-based governance: Political disputes are channelled through institutions and procedures rather than force

These shared commitments can still produce disagreement because citizens interpret the same ideals differently (for example, what counts as “equal” or what restrictions are justified to protect rights).

Unity and Conflict Inside One Political Culture

U.S. political culture does not mean uniform opinion. It sets broad boundaries, while debate happens inside them.

• Many disagreements are about means (which policy tools best achieve a goal) rather than ends (whether the goal is legitimate).

• Political culture can also polarise when groups claim the other side violates core democratic expectations (e.g., fairness, constitutional limits, equal standing).

This chart shows how Americans’ preferences for a smaller versus bigger government vary across major demographic and partisan groups. It provides a concrete example of how people can claim the same democratic ideals (like liberty, equality, and fairness) yet arrive at different conclusions about what government should do in practice. The breakdown helps explain why political conflict can be intense even within a broadly shared political culture. Source

Globalization and Political Culture

The syllabus also emphasises globalization: U.S. culture influences and is influenced by other countries’ values. Globalization is not only economic; it includes cultural and political exchange that affects how Americans understand democracy and rights.

This figure tracks three long-run indicators of global integration—trade openness, international migration, and financial integration—indexed to a common baseline. The shared timeline makes it easier to see globalization as multiple interconnected flows that can expand or contract together across historical shocks. It supports the idea that globalization changes the information and comparison environment in which political culture develops. Source

Between these definition blocks, remember the key relationship: political culture provides a baseline for how citizens interpret politics, while globalization changes the information environment and the comparisons citizens make.

How the U.S. Influences Others

The United States can export political ideas and practices through:

• Media and technology: U.S. news, entertainment, and platforms can spread narratives about freedom, elections, and protest

• Diplomacy and institutions: Participation in alliances and international organisations can promote democratic norms

• Education and civil society ties: Universities, NGOs, and professional networks circulate constitutional and rights-based frameworks

This influence can be welcomed, adapted to local contexts, or resisted as foreign interference.

How Other Countries Influence the U.S.

Globalization can also shape U.S. political culture by introducing new perspectives on:

• Rights and identity: Exposure to different models of multiculturalism, secularism, or national identity

• Policy expectations: Comparisons with other democracies (health systems, voting rules, speech regulations) can reframe what seems possible or legitimate

• Democratic norms: Observing democratic backsliding abroad (or successful reforms) can affect how Americans evaluate institutional safeguards at home

Mechanisms of Change in a Globalized Environment

Globalization influences political culture through several pathways:

• Information flows: Real-time international news and social media increase cross-national comparison and contestation

• Migration and transnational communities: People bring civic experiences and expectations from other political systems

• Global events: Wars, pandemics, and economic crises can elevate security, public health, or economic stability concerns, altering how citizens weigh liberty versus collective action

Implications for Citizenship and Governance

Because political culture shapes legitimacy, globalization can affect:

• Trust and cohesion: Competing narratives about democracy and identity can strengthen engagement or intensify distrust

• Policy debates: International comparisons become evidence in arguments about what government should do

• Norms of participation: Protest tactics, organising styles, and civic movements can diffuse across borders, changing expectations about how citizens should act politically