Political Socialisation

Political Socialisation

Meaning

Political socialisation is the lifelong process, beginning in childhood, through which individuals acquire, embrace, and maintain their political beliefs, values, and behaviours. By shaping how people understand and interact with the political world, this process ensures that a group's political culture does not die with its older members. Instead, these core concepts are transmitted to new members through various agents of political socialisation, guaranteeing that a society's political system maintains its continuity and stability from one generation to the next.

Definition of Political Socialisation

1. According to Almond and Powell “Political socialization is the process by which political cultures are maintained and changed.”

2. Easton and Dennis defined political socialization as “Those development process by which acquires political orientation and pattern of behaviour.”

3. Allan R. Ball defines “Political socialization as establishment and development of attitudes to beliefs about the political system.”

4. According to Eisenstadt “political socialization is ‘a communication with and learning from other human beings with whom an individual, gradually enters into some sort of generalized relationship”

5. According to Austin and Nelson “a process by which individuals obtain relevant knowledge, skills and dispositions that are enable them to function competently in the social political culture.”

6. Ball defines “Political socialization as establishment and development of attitudes and beliefs about the political system.”

7. Hyman defined political socialisation as the “individual learning of social patterns corresponding to his social positions as mediated through various agencies of society.”

8. Aberle defined political socialisation as “those patterns of social action, or aspects of action, which inculcate in individuals the skills (including knowledge), motives, and attitudes necessary for the performance of present or anticipated roles... (and which continue) throughout normal human life, in so far as new roles must be learned.”

Characteristics of Political Socialisation

There are some characteristics of political socialisation. These are:

1. Political socialisation is the pinnacle of a society’s political values or culture. Any education, therefore, is not political socialisation.

2. The purpose of political socialisation is to educate and enhance the members of the society politically, to see them become effective members of the political society, and to preserve the continuity of the political values of the society.

3. Early childhood is an important time for political socialisation. But this is not limited to a few years of childhood. Political socialisation continues throughout an individual's life.

4. Political socialisation occurs mainly in three ways: imitation, instruction, and motivation. Imitation tendency is more prevalent in children, whereas adolescents and adults have a combination of imitation, instruction, and motivation.

5. Through the process of political socialisation, the increase in support for the prevailing political system, the values in favour of conventional institutions, and the legitimacy of the government are increased.

6. All persons belonging to a political society are subject to political socialisation and are affected throughout their lives.

Types of Political Socialisation

“Political socialisation has been classified into the following two types:

1. Direct or Manifest political socialisation: It is the process in which the content of the transmitted information, values or feelings is political. An individual, under the influence of family, teachers, or other agencies, learns explicitly about the patterns and functions of government and the ideology of political parties. Experiences with government institutions and civics courses in schools that provide information about democracy, citizens' rights, fundamental duties, and the directive principles of state policy also result in direct political socialisation.

2. Latent or Indirect political socialisation: The latent political socialisation begins with non-political objects and orientations and culminates in political orientation. Latent political socialisation involves many of the most fundamental characteristics of the general culture, which have a great effect on the political sphere. It occurs through certain channels. They are the general social conditions and attitudes that lead to political action or inaction; the interpersonal communication of information, values, and attitudes; and the acquisition of skills and techniques in non-political activities that may lead to political skills when an individual becomes an adult. Participation in college and university politics strengthens the ground for a future role in politics.

Thus, both forms of socialisation act through a variety of channels. Imitation, political experience, anticipatory behaviour, and political education are channels of manifest socialisation. The act of imitation occurs at a tender age, wherein children imitate their parents, relatives, teachers, neighbours, etc. It does not have a strong political conviction, but it can build a strong political faith. Political experiences leave an enduring impression on people and can change their attitudes towards politics.

Stages of Political Socialisation

There are different stages in citizens' lives when they are influenced by various factors, both external and internal.

1. Early childhood: Children are more observers than participants in the initial years of their growth. They absorb from their surroundings and imbibe whatever is doled out to them. And that sets the foundation for a lifetime. At this stage, children learn the most from their immediate family members. If the family is very active in politics, the children also have a natural inclination towards politics. Their interest in politics stems from their roots- their families. They imbibe the values practised around them. Their bent towards the political system is but natural, for it is more often discussed. On the other hand, if some families talk negatively about political activities in a political system, then the children growing up in such families might naturally develop a disdain for it.

2. Late Childhood or Teenage: This is the time when the children’s thoughts, as well as their notions, can change. They become more aware of their rights, their lives, and their futures. They might also realise that the political system is the source of their good life. So, some who were earlier indifferent to the political system might start taking an interest in what's going on. They would start participating in the political system, or at least start reflecting on the decisions it takes. They would be interested not only in the decisions taken but also in the decision-making process. This stage determines the extent of the individual's future participation.

3. Adulthood: This is the stage when the individual becomes a citizen with firm views and beliefs. The process of political socialisation continues and the individual might change a little bit, but his/her biases and decisions are clear. As individuals move through life and have personal experiences with the political system, they decide whether to participate. The employment opportunities, the chances to fulfill their aspirations and finally the extent to which their goals are fulfilled decide the individuals’ orientations. The process is political socialisation, and it moulds the adult citizens thoughts towards the political system.

Agents of Political Socialisation

There are many agents that influence the individual. As mentioned earlier, political socialisation is a psychological concept. It is all about reaching and influencing the individual’s mind. There are certain formal structures that perform this function. Besides formal structures, many informal structures also influence people. These influences come from the child’s family and persist throughout one’s life. Each agent has a different but significant effect on the individual. The various agents are as follows –

1.  Family 

Family is the first and foremost influence on the child. It directly and indirectly influences the child not only regarding the values of society but also regarding the political system. It plays a key role in shaping an individual's personality. Family shapes the most impressionable period of an individual's life. Its influence is unparalleled; thus, it plays a crucial role in political socialisation. It is the family that transmits values to children because it is the first formal structure an individual is introduced to, and its influence is long-lasting. The child’s orientation towards obedience, hierarchy, and respect for rules decides his future role as a citizen. If the child is encouraged to participate in family decisions, the child takes the decision–making process seriously. If family decisions are made only by parents or elders, the child sees authority and non-participation at a very early age. Both these cases would definitely teach the child lessons in political socialisation. In a democracy, children learn about ‘liberty’, ‘equality’, and ‘justice’ at a comparatively younger age. They have a different perspective than their counterparts in a totalitarian regime. In the latter, the parents’ authority is challenged by the political regime, which is considered to be larger than the individual's life. Even within a family, in developing or traditional societies, the socialisation of girls differs from that of boys. The boys are encouraged to participate, while the girls are taught about the traditional rules and discouraged from participating in politics. The child first encounters authority and obedience in the family. The individual’s participation, sense of political competence, and political sanctions help one to identify one’s role in the political system. The family’s role may seem to diminish for some time as the child moves ahead in life and is exposed to more influences, but the undercurrents are always there when an individual steps ahead for bigger, more effective roles. Family is the primary socialising agent.

2. School and other educational Institutions

Educational institutions, especially the school, are the second most powerful agents of political socialisation. As the child steps out of the family and into the school, the processes of socialisation and political socialisation accelerate. In the family, latent political socialisation was transmitted; in the school, along with latent political socialisation, manifest political socialisation transmits political knowledge and opinion. Schools, colleges and universities play an important role in shaping attitudes and orientations about the political system. In these educational institutions, the child learns their first lessons about participation, sense of competence and aspirations. The school transmits values and beliefs through its curriculum and through debates and discussions on various issues. The endeavour of these educational institutions is to help evolve good citizens. For this, the morning assembly, the singing of the national anthem/song, the pledges to honour one’s country, salute the national flag, etc., are points that help the children grow into responsible, law-abiding citizens. The rigorous schedule of studies, exams, and extracurricular activities encourages the child to engage in healthy competition. The various educational institutions that the child attends inculcate the values of public duty and political relations among individuals. Even Plato and Aristotle emphasised the importance of education in producing good citizens. Education not only imparts knowledge of the political system but also helps young, virgin minds develop positive feelings towards it. Education helps in assimilation of people torn apart because of diverse factors like religion, region, colour, language and sex. Thus, governments try to control and shape a generation through the educational system. The knowledge, thus imparted, is regimented and controlled towards a particular direction. The course content, in such systems, is manipulated. This happens in totalitarian regimes where the government does not want to take criticism or challenges from its citizens.

3. Peer Groups

As the child grows, friends and their ideological orientations increasingly shape the child’s life. The common age group, along with shared aspirations and frustrations, binds peers together. Peer groups play a greater role in countries where family ties are loose. These groups initially work with educational institutions, but then continue working outside them. This group plays an important role in shaping values and attitudes. Also called reference groups, they can encourage or discourage participation. Friends determine the kind and level of participation. They can mould an individual’s perception of the political system. As individuals graduate from educational institutions and step into society and the political system, these peer groups continue to play an increasingly important role. If one is guided by a peer group that actively participates in the system, the individual would also believe that participation leads to greater political competence. The individual, along with one’s peer group, would follow the actions of the leadership, criticise or appreciate, and thus keep the political system on its toes. An active peer-group would ask questions, protest or suggest whatever would be the demand of the situation. This peer-group would play the role of an alert group, keeping a vigil on the political system. The latter would be wary of such groups and view them as potential future leaders. Association with such a peer-group would definitely influence the various members of this group.

4. Mass Media

The media have always been an important means of articulation of ideas. The Media, in modern times, includes print media, TV channels, and radio. The latest addition is the Internet, which the present generation uses to the maximum to exchange and assimilate ideas. It is their window to the ‘global village’. It helps them to connect with citizens of varied political systems. Thus, the present generation is in a better position to compare, deliberate, appreciate, discuss and criticise. In the present scenario, the mass media is an effective tool of political socialisation. The editorial columns, expert views, and TV channel debates all contribute to political socialisation. It is the media that can change a simple event into an emotive one. The media provides information about the various political events. At times, they have an effect in the short run, but their impact can be felt in the long run. Much depends on the media and which side they are aligned with. Manipulation of media can distort facts and disseminate false information to citizens. The history of a Nation can change because of the facts reported by the media. In totalitarian regimes, the government controls the mass media completely. In such political systems, people’s attitudes and orientations towards the political system are shaped by the mass media. The latter is used as a support structure to emphasise the system’s legality. In developing countries, people's exposure to the mass media is general, whereas in developed countries it is selective and specialised.

5. Direct contact with the Political System

The individual’s personal experiences with the political system shape one’s attitudes. A positive experience with the political system helps one develop positive orientations towards it. Negative experiences mar an individual’s attitudes towards the political system. Unemployment, government harassment, and obstacles to simple chores like obtaining a passport, driving license, or gas connection can lead an individual to develop disdain or indifference towards the political system. The individual then prefers to migrate to a developed country. This explains the increasing international migration. The individual’s direct interaction with the police, judiciary, and political leaders all lead to the formation and moulding of one’s political orientations.

6. Religion

In both developing and developed countries, religion plays an important role in political affiliations. Religion can be both a binding and a divisive force. It can bind people of one religion but divide a state. People sometimes vote according to their religion. They join political parties propagating a specific religion. Children imbibe values through informal conversations within a family. In general, the individual initially orients towards parties to which their parents affiliate. Subsequently, they might change their affiliation because of different influences. Religion also helps people distance themselves from particular religious groups. The role of the Church in some Western countries is an example. In developing countries like India, the role of Shiv Sena, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are examples of religion playing an important role as an agent of political socialisation.

7. Caste

Caste is an important agent of political socialisation in developing countries. It is a divisive agent whose negative role cannot be undermined. People of a particular caste group sometimes bond together to gain from the political system. The tactics used are usually negative. Its role as a vote bank, seeking maximum mileage, leads to the formation of combinations that are not healthy for the political system in the long run. The younger generation learns about these negative influences and how they can be used to gain benefits. This agent of political socialisation is not healthy and constructive and is used by political parties to divide people.

8. Symbols of the Political System

The Constitution, the National Flag, and the National Anthem all serve to demonstrate the legitimacy of the political system. These symbols help the individual develop respect for the political system. Each time the individual sings the national anthem or the national song, a sense of loyalty and pride is instilled in one’s mind. These symbols reinforce the authority of the political system. The symbols combine legal and emotional bonds between the individual and the political system. In India, the Republic Day Parade and the President’s address to the Nation are examples of ways to instil pride in the country's citizens. These symbols also serve as a connection between the past and the present of any Nation.

Through these various agencies, individuals continuously develop and refine their political beliefs, thereby contributing to their society's overall political culture. Political socialisation is an ongoing process that adapts to changing social, economic, and political contexts.