Political Culture in America Political Culture Political culture is that set of ideas which Americans share widely about who should govern, for what ends, and by what means. Values are shared ideas about what is good. Beliefs are shared ideas about what is true.
Beliefs often give a foundation for values.
For instance, the belief that God endowed humankind with rights to life, liberty, and property is a foundation for giving these concepts the status of values in our political culture. Subcultures also exist, such as those based on religion, race, or ethnic identity, holding different or even deviant beliefs and values. The existence of a shared political culture does not prevent conflict over such pressures to reconcile conditions with values, or one value with another. The Liberal Tradition in America Classical liberalism , which asserts the dignity of the individual and their rational ability to control their own destinies, is central to American political culture. The cultural value of equality means that, in the abstract, Americans believe no person is better than anyone else.