American Ideology

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American Ideology
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Definition

• Ideology an intellectual pattern or way of
  thinking that repeats in a culture

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Kingdons Central Claim (Chapter 3)

• American ideology concerns
• - limiting the power / reach of government
• This ideology differs significantly from citizens
  in other countries

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Americans and Individualism

• Equality of Result rejected- income gaps
  rationalized as the result of personal failure
• Equal Opportunity favored
• - viewed as the only real social responsibility

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Ideology Leads Americans To

• Support public education
• Reject increasing taxes
• Accept government regulation rather than
  government program (example fuel consumption
  standards)
• Use litigation where other social systems would
  use government

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Kingdons Claims (Chapter 4)

• Path dependence hinders Americans from seeking
  better solutions to social problems
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History of American Path DependenceFirst
Influence Migration Categories

• escaping religious/political persecution
• improving economic conditions
• against their will
• indigenous people
• Not surprisingly, first two dominate

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Effects of Dominate Migration Categorieson Ways
of Thinking

• Escaping Authority
• Americans tend to be suspicious of authority,
  hierarchy, and obedience
• Seeking Economic ProsperityAmericans tend to
  believe in a land of opportunity myth

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History of American Path DependenceSecond
Influence Diversity and Localism

• Regional differences (diversity) lead original 13
  colonies to- separate powers of government-
  invest power in local government (localism)
• Result
• Americans tend to favor local government
  solutions over solutions requiring federal
  government

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Localism Also Means

• Americans also define themselves by locality
• - New Yorkers- Idahoans- etc.

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Additional Factors that Influenced The Way
Americans Think

• America never had a feudal system- social class
  divisions not as visible
• American labor unions concentrated on - better
  pay and improved working conditions- as opposed
  to redirecting social system
• America geographically/economically isolated

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Kingdons Final Point

• Americas path dependence- imposes an
  ideological blindness- limits range of solutions
  to social problems

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An Example of Ideological Blindness

• National Health Care rejected because- set
  budgets for health providers- ration care-
  eliminate elective procedures
• Private Health Care is insurance dependent- sets
  budgets through fee schedules- rations care -
  doesnt pay for elective procedures