Chapter 3- The Social Context of American Politics:

(1). Describe the changing profile(s) of America's population: (race, ethnicity, language, age, family make-up).

(2). Analyze the social and economic characteristics of America's population: (religion, education, wealth & income, home ownership, occupation).

(3). Discuss America's diversity & social harmony, & the role of cross-cutting cleavages.

(4). Discuss who really wields political power in America, and the role of pluralism.

v Who Are Americans?

§ 3-1a A Growing and Changing Population

· Average American: 1900 vs. Present

· Growing US population (Figure 3-1)

¨ 4 million => 300 million (by 2006)

¨ 4.5/square mile => about 80/square mile

· Dynamic people on the move

¨ Rust Belt => Sun Belt

§ 3-1b Race and Ethnicity

· Growing diversity:

¨ White (European) => current %

¨ African American => current %

Ø Unique history & its implications

Ø Civil rights

¨ Hispanic Americans => over 13% & growing

Ø Area concentrations

Ø Political leanings & trends

¨ Asian Americans => about 4% (Figure 3-2)

Ø Area concentrations

Ø Political leanings & trends

¨ American Indians => >1% (ties to government)

· Multicultural trends & future implications

§ 3-1c Immigration (Figure 3-3)

· Problems of control (legislation)

· Lack of documentation & overstaying visa

§ 3-1d Language => role of English language

· National vs. Ethnic minority goals:

¨ Uniting a Nation vs. preserving ethnic traditions

§ 3-1e Age=> who gets what when = who votes

· graying of the baby boomers (figure 3-4)

¨ political implications:

Ø young vs. old

¨ social security

§ 3-1f Family Households => recent trends:

· Changing make up & single women with kids =>

· Social & political implications

§ 3-1g Sexual Orientation – the numbers game:

· 3 vs. 10% => political implications

Ø Social and Economic Characteristics:

§ 3-2a Religion:

· About 70% of Americans => ID w/formal denominations

¨ Christians – %?

¨ Jewish – %?

¨ Muslims – %?

· Political implications => power of belief

¨ Extent of influence on political behavior

· Freedom of religion => American values

§ 3-2b Education:

· Trends toward higher education

· Educational opportunities:

· correlation with race & ethnicity

· correlation with higher paying jobs

§ 3-2c Wealth and Income (Figure 3-5):

· Class & politics and the role of the middle class

· Poverty in American (Figure 3-6):

¨ Race & ethnicity correlations (Figure 3-7)

¨ Feminization of poverty

§ 3-2d Home Ownership:

· Historical trends of the American Dream (about 2/3)

¨ Tax break encouragement (Mortgage interests)

· Race & ethnicity correlations for home ownership:

¨ Ownership contrasts

¨ Older (most %) vs. younger (less %) Americans

· Homelessness & its costs (hundreds of $$$ millions)

¨ Single men (%?) & children (%)

¨ The mentally ill & drug dependent

§ 3-2e Occupation:

· Macro- economic trends:

¨ Farming => manufacturing => service

· Impact of service economy on Unions (Figure 3-8)

· Women in the workforce – growing trend (Figure 3-9)

· Unemployment trends (3-10%) – racial correlations

¨ Young African American males (social & $ impact)

Ø Diversity and Social Harmony:

§ Cross-cutting cleavages => political implications

Ø Political Power in the United States (competing views):

§ Power elite theory versus:

§ Pluralism

v Chapter 3 Key Terms:

Ø Baby Boomers: The generation of Americans born between 1946 and 1964.

Ø Cross-cutting cleavages: Divisions that split society into small groups so that people have different allies and opponents in different policy areas, and no group forms a majority on all issues.

Ø Feminization of poverty: The trend in the United States in which families headed by women account for a growing share of the people who live below the poverty line.

Ø Pluralism: The theory that political power is spread widely and that different groups of people exercise power on different issues.

Ø Rust Belt: The Rust Belt states are the major industrial states of the Northeast and Midwest. For the most part, they have not enjoyed great population or economic growth in the second half of the twentieth century.

Ø Sun Belt: The Sun Belt states are the states in the South, Southwest, and West Coast—areas that have experienced tremendous population and economic growth since 1950.