Government Keypoints; Political Socialization/Political Participation/Political Culture

Government Keypoints; Political Socialization/Political Participation/Political Culture; Political Processes, Political Socialization, Political Participation, and Political Culture are important topics for students preparing for UTME as they provide a comprehensive understanding of the political system of a country. In this note, we will discuss each of these topics in detail.

Related; Government Keypoints; State/Nation/Society

Political processes refer to the different ways through which political decisions are made and implemented in a country. These processes include elections, decision-making procedures, lobbying, interest group formation, and public opinion formation. Understanding political processes is crucial for citizens as it helps them participate in the decision-making process and hold their elected representatives accountable.

Government Keypoints; Political Socialization/Political Participation/Political Culture

Political Socialization:

Political socialization is the process through which individuals acquire political values, beliefs, and attitudes. It is a lifelong process that begins in childhood and is influenced by family, peers, schools, media, and other social institutions. Political socialization helps individuals understand the political system and their role in it. It also shapes their political behavior and determines how they participate in the political process.

Agents Of Socialization

Agents of socialization, which are institutions that work together to shape people’s economic and political values and norms, include the family, media, peers, schools, religions, work, and legal systems.

1. Family: Families transmit values that support political authority and can significantly influence children’s initial political views or party affiliations. Family demographics, life cycle, parenting style, parental political cynicism, and frequency of political discussions all affect political knowledge, identification, efficacy, and participation.
2. Schools: Children in countries such as the United States learn and internalize a worldview that privileges capitalism, ownership, individualism, and democracy through primary, secondary, and high schools. Key principles such as individual rights, personal responsibility, and duty to the nation are taught and reinforced.
3. Media: Mass media is not only a source of political information but also influences political values and beliefs. News coverage and late-night programs by various media outlets offer different partisan policy stances that are associated with political participation.
4. Religion: Religious beliefs and practices influence political opinion formation and participation. Religious institutions’ theological and moral perspectives shape judgments about public policy, which translates into direct political decision-making on matters such as the redistribution of wealth, equality, tolerance for deviance, limits on individual freedom, criminal punishment severity, family structure policies, gender roles, and the value of human life.
5. Political parties: Social factors such as age, context, and power contrast political parties’ minimal direct influence on a child’s political beliefs, as noted by scholars like Campbell (1960).
6. The state: The state is a crucial source of information for media outlets and can use propaganda strategies to inform, misinform, or disinform the press and the public to serve political or economic agendas.

Political Participation:

The various ways that people interact with the political system are referred to as political involvement. Voting, running for office, joining political parties, taking part in protests and demonstrations, and getting in touch with elected officials are a few of these. Citizens should get involved in politics because it allows them to hold elected officials accountable and change the political system to suit their needs and goals.

Related; Government Keypoints; Power / Authority And Legitimacy

Forms of Political Participation

If you’re preparing for JAMB, it’s important to understand the different ways in which citizens can participate in politics. Here are the various forms of political participation:

1. Involvement in campaigns: Some citizens participate in politics by attending political party rallies to learn about the policies, programs, and political party candidates contesting elections.
2. Holding political offices: Some people participate in politics by seeking to hold or occupy political offices, such as the office of the president, governor, minister, or commissioner.
3. Analyzing political issues: Some people participate in politics by discussing and analyzing major political events in society, including personalities and manifestos of candidates and political parties contesting elections. These discussions may take place informally or through the mass media, allowing voters to assess candidates critically before casting their vote.
4. Voting during elections: Citizens participate in politics by voting for the candidate of their choice during elections.
5. Membership of pressure groups: Individuals can form pressure groups to influence political events.
6. Contesting elections: Qualified active participants may decide to stand as candidates seeking election into public offices.
7. Dissemination of party propaganda: Some people participate in politics by sharing party information and policy objectives to influence the electorate to vote for their candidates during elections. Others serve as polling agents for candidates at elections.
8. Supporting candidates during elections: Citizens participate in politics by supporting the candidate of their choice during elections. Such support helps the candidate to win elections and control the machinery of government.
9. Protest/criticism and petitions: Some people get involved in politics by criticizing candidates for elections and government appointments. They may write petitions against politicians and government officials and suggest alternative solutions to the problems facing the government.
10. Financial and material assistance to political parties: Some affluent people get involved in politics by endorsing the platforms, plans, and goals of the politicians and parties of their choice. Political parties can obtain a strong party secretariat and other necessities with the use of this assistance, which may aid them in winning elections.

Political Culture:

Political culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, and attitudes that shape the political behavior of individuals and groups within a society. It encompasses the norms and practices of the political system and shapes how citizens interact with the political system. Understanding political culture is crucial for citizens as it helps them understand the political system and its role in it.

Political Culture Components:

1. Evaluative Orientation: This component pertains to the extent to which individuals can evaluate or critically assess the performance of their political system. Through this evaluation, individuals can determine the efficacy and efficiency of the policies of the state and evaluate the people who control the affairs of the state.
2. Cognitive Orientation: This component is related to the knowledge and beliefs that individuals hold with regard to the political system. It concerns how individuals understand and comprehend the political system, as well as their awareness of the roles and responsibilities of government officials.
3. Affective Orientation: This component focuses on the emotional aspect of political culture. It encompasses the feelings of individuals towards the political system, including their pride in the activities of their government and political institutions, their loyalty to the nation, government, and its leaders, and their overall sentiment towards the government’s performance.

Factors That Determine Political Culture

There are several factors that shape a society’s political culture, including:

Related; Government Keypoints; The State / The Modern State

1. Historical development: The course of historical events in a particular society plays a crucial role in shaping its attitudes, values, and beliefs in politics. For instance, the various revolutions in France in the 18th century greatly influenced the country’s politics in the 19th and 20th centuries.
2. Socio-economic structure: Urban and industrialized societies tend to have higher levels of education, which often leads to greater participation in the decision-making process compared to rural and less developed societies, which tend to be more conservative.
3. Ethnic diversity: The belief systems of different tribes or ethnic groups can have a significant impact on a society’s political culture, leading to differences in political attitudes and values. For example, ethnic differences have long affected political attitudes in Nigeria.
4. Political instability: Constant political instability can lead to disaffection among the populace and can ultimately affect a society’s political values and attitudes.
5. The impact of colonialism: The legacy of European colonialism has had a significant influence on the political cultures of new states in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Colonialism has played a major role in determining a society’s political beliefs, values, and attitudes. For instance, Nigeria inherited its federal structure and political beliefs, values, and attitudes from Britain.

In conclusion, Political Processes, Political Socialization, Political Participation, and Political Culture are crucial topics for students preparing for UTME as they provide a comprehensive understanding of the political system of a country. Understanding these topics helps citizens participate in the decision-making process, hold their elected representatives accountable, and shape the political system according to their needs and aspirations. Government Keypoints; Political Socialization/Political Participation/Political Culture

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