Liberalism Modern Conservatism and Fascism

Political Participation

1. Three primary agents of political socialization are family, education, and media. Family plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's political beliefs by providing their initial exposure to political ideas and values. Education exposes individuals to political knowledge, concepts, and ideas. The media disseminates political information. Three secondary agents of political socialization are religion, peer groups, and political leaders. A person's political opinion can change over time due to changing circumstances, personal experiences, exposure to new information, or a shift in values.

2. Political ideology refers to a set of beliefs about the role of government. Libertarianism emphasizes individual liberty and minimal government intervention in economic and social matters. Classical liberalism advocates for limited government intervention. Modern liberalism emphasizes the government's role in promoting social justice, equality, and individual freedoms. Traditional conservatism emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional values. Modern conservatism emphasizes a strong national defense and free-market capitalism. Socialism advocates for collective ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods and services. Communism is a form of socialism that advocates for the elimination of private property and the establishment of a classless society. Fascism is a emphasizes authoritarianism, nationalism, and the subordination of the corporation to the state.

3. Three factors that contribute to or detract from political participation are socioeconomic status, political efficacy, and political interest. Socioeconomic affects a person’s access to resources and access to the process. Political efficacy refers to belief in their ability to influence the political process. Political interest refers to an individual's level of engagement and motivation to participate in politics.

4. Public opinion polls can be problematic because they may not accurately reflect the views of the population due to issues such as sampling bias or wording. Public opinion can influence public policy by shaping the priorities of elected officials.

5. The electoral college is a system used in the United States to elect the president and vice president. Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to its number of senators and representatives in Congress. An election in the electoral college can differ from the population's election if a candidate wins the majority of electoral votes, but not the popular vote.

6. Political campaigns today include a shadow campaign, primary campaigns, and general election campaigns. The shadow campaign refers to the activities of outside groups that support or oppose candidates. Primary campaigns involve candidates from each party competing for their party's nomination. General election campaigns involve the nominees from each party competing for the presidency.

7. The two major parties in the United States, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, reflect differing ideologies. The Democratic Party promotes liberal policies such as government intervention in the economy and the promotion of social welfare programs. The Republican Party promotes conservative policies such as limited government intervention in the economy and the promotion of individual freedoms.

8. The election process includes announcing candidacy, primary elections or caucuses, nominating conventions, general election campaigns, and the electoral college vote. Candidates announce their candidacy and campaign to win their party's nomination. The nominees are then selected at the party's nominating convention. General election campaigns involve the nominees from each party competing for the presidency. The winner of the election is determined by the electoral college.