Nature and Causes of the Declining Political Participation in the United States - Research Paper Example

Analyzing the Nature and Causes of the Declining Political Participation in the United sIntroduction Analyzed through the theoretical perspective of citizenship, the declining political participation in the United States is a root of apprehension and even distress. Aside from its active role of choosing public or governmental leaders and representatives, political participation is also a public role which shows loyalty to the political mechanisms and foundations of the country (Janda, Berry & Goldman 2008). It points to how greatly we trust the core foundation of our democracy—political participation—and that a very small number of people carry it out might reveal a severe flaw in the political traditions upon which the United States strongly relies (Conway 2000). Declining political participation might also destabilize government’s authority and legitimacy (Comstock-Gay & Goldman 2009). Hence, the American government and citizens, me included, should not take for granted the implication of this weakening political participation for democratic representation. However, declining political participation is beyond an issue of morals. Realistic policymakers are interested in a partisan predisposition in diminishing political participation (Crotty 1991). Nonvoters are black, younger, poorer, and less educated, and characterized by features related to support for the Democratic Party (Crotty 1991). Hence, furthered by Crotty (1991), it is normal to think that declining political participation is favorable to the Republican Party. In contrast, for the Democrats, declining political participation might imply unjustifiable Republican victories. The current emphasis in the field of American democratic theory has concerned macro-level issues, and negligible consideration has been given to issues of the effects of the democratic mechanism on the individual. The issues raised about American democracy have been constrained by this focus on macro-level practices and by the idea that the only role of political participation is to choose public leaderships (Jacobs, Cook & Delli Carpini 2009). To make sense of the macro-level significance and implications of political participation for democracy, nonetheless, it is similarly vital to recognize the implications of the democratic institution for its citizens (Janda et al. 2008). Ultimately, numerous people think that the government is not functioning in a useful way in society and fails to grant authority for the system they resist by taking part in it. A Brief History of U.S. Political Participation Historically, the United States has the lowest ranks of political participation, as determined by voter turnouts, of any leading industrial democracy. The United States is ranked below other highly industrialized democratic countries, excluding Switzerland, a country known for its steady electioneering and repudiation, until in recent times, to grant women suffrage rights, in cross-country turnout. G. Bingham Powell Jr. (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991), evaluating trends of political participation across 19 modern democratic countries, assumed that “voter turnout in the United States is severely inhibited by its institutional conflict… the U.S. was disadvantaged by voluntary registration, unevenly competitive electoral districts, and very weak linkages (perceptual and organizational) between parties and social groups” (pp. 25-26). Powell (1986 as cited in Crotty 1991) concludes that party system and institutional variables slow down turnout and registration processes, primary causes of the low ranking of the United States in terms of political participation compared to other countries. Robert W. Jackman, in a similar study of levels of political participation in 19 modern democratic nations, although opposing Powell over the function of the political traditions of a country in influencing the political participation rates, stresses the role of political institutions, such as electoral guidelines, political parties, and national electoral districts, in forming electorates (Ramakrishnan 2005). He claims (Crotty 1991, 2): “Where institutions provide citizens with incentives to vote, more people actually participate; where institutions generate disincentives to vote, turnout suffers. Thus the meaning of national differences in voting turnout is rather clear: turnout figures offer one gauge of participatory political democracy”. Obviously, as revealed by the focus of the studies of Powell and Jackman, and other earlier researchers of political participation in the U.S., the assumption is that high rates of political participation are ‘favorable’ and that they boost political dedication and interest, strengthen stability, and result in a more encompassing and hence ‘greater’ representation (Ramakrishnan 2005). Therefore, it should be an issue of primary importance to the United States who do and does not participate and what is the percentage of its qualified voters involved in its major political processes. Factors or Issues Affecting Political Participation in the United States Everybody is familiar with the demographics of political participation and one theory states that the class hierarchy innate in declining political participation would result in a clearly different concern if the electorate was broadened to involve a large portion of the marginalized groups and individuals presently barred (Zukin, Keeter, Andolina, Jenkins & Delli Carpini 2006). There is a risk contained in such a change. An anxiety over the indefinite is powerful enough to discourage policymakers, both Democrats and Republican, from advocating needed reform (Comstock-Gay & Goldman 2009). Furthermore, and importantly, a broadened electorate could alter the political culture of who gains the policy incentives; the standpoint of many currently benefited by the political culture could be weakened. The core of this discussion is concerned about the influence of policy preferences on political participation. John Petrocik and Daron Shaw, in studying the presidential and congressional elections, discovered that differences in policy preferences and attitudes between nonvoters and voters are quite limited, but they do have a clear influence on political participation (Crotty 1991). Voters in comparison to nonvoters are more expected to discern significant disparities in policy preferences between the parties and contenders in an election, another variable which can affect political participation (Jacobs et al. 2009). The major disparities that do arise therefore concern social policy and openly reveal the largely class-oriented hierarchy between the political parties in the United States (Jacobs et al. 2009). These factors have the strongest personal influence on and importance for the individual (Janoski et al. 2005): (1) the parties adopt specific and different opinions on them; (2) there is significantly greater information accessible to the individual on such issues; (3) the issues are exposed to expanded representation in media presentations and campaigns; and (4) political parties and the Congress constantly deliberate and plot to position themselves advantageously on such issues. It is reasonably possible that should a substantial percentage of the nonvoters decided to take part in political processes and should they cast their vote for their preferences on national issues, they might significantly affect the path American politics treads. It is vital to consider that large numbers of similarities are present in issue positions among nonparticipants and participants, and when disparities do arise, they are usually innately cumulative. Lastly, according to Zukin and colleagues (2006), lack of information and political unawareness may also be major causes of declining political participation. Current Status of Political Participation in the U.S. A current international study mentioned in Jeff Manza’s and colleagues’ (2005 as cited in Janoski et al. 2005) work revealed that “turnout in U.S. national elections ranks an extraordinary 138th among 170 countries that hold elections” (p. 208). In addition, there seems to be a pattern in the growth in numbers of citizens who admit having independent representation in the government. Manza and colleagues (2005 as cited in Janoski et al. 2005) discussed the current roots of declining political participation into two groups: (1) institutional causes, influences that are innate to the political process itself, and (2) individual causes rooted mainly in social divisions. Nevertheless, the investigations in this field are filled with statistical ambiguities and usually oppose each other compelling the researchers to “conclude that there is at best only modest evidence for an increase in social cleavage impacts on turnout” (Janoski et al. 2005, 213). Rather, it seems more probable that the American peoples’ “lack of interest in politics, low levels of political efficacy, or apparent apathy toward election outcomes may reflect substantive views of the party system or the character of elite political conflicts” (Janoski et al. 2005, 210). In relation to these concerns, President Obama should launch a novel form of governance by inviting U.S. citizens to participate in a progression of national deliberations on the issues of greatest public concern, like climate change, foreign policy, economy, energy, and health care (Comstock-Gay & Goldman 2009). These national discussions will offer public representatives with impartial, unaffiliated methods of evaluation public issues and opinion, and build a more powerful connection between the government and the American people. Future Concerns and Anticipated Future The White House and the Congress should launch a forceful assembly of policy changes to boost political participation in democracies. We should implement a wide-ranging set of procedures which are voter-friendly like Internet voting or advance voting (Comstock-Gay & Goldman 2009). And we should look for other election processes like instant-runoff voting and ranked-choice elections (Comstock-Gay & Goldman 2009) as a means to guarantee a balanced expression of voter preference. Voter interest is the greatest it has been in the electoral history of the United States. The youth is now enthusiastic to take part in political decision-making processes. Advanced technologies enable participation in ways beyond belief decades ago. The fraught needs and demands of the American people, the severely lowered position of the United States in the world, and the economic difficulties show that the nation is ripe for massive reforms (Conway 2000). This is a time that arrives possibly once in the entire existence of a democratic state, a time to relive its powers and restore the philosophy of government by the people. References Comstock-Gay, S. & J. Goldman “Being a Citizen Should Involve Active Participation in the Governance Process,” The American Prospect 20.1 (2009): 8+ Conway, M.M. Political participation in the United States. New York: CQ Press, 2000. Crotty, W. Political Participation and American Democracy. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991. Jacobs, L.R., F. L. Cook & M. Delli Carpini. Talking Together: Public Deliberation and Political Participation in America. London: Chicago Press, 2009. Janda, K., J. Berry & J. Goldman. The Challenge of Democracy: American Government in a Global World. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing, 2008. Janoski, T., R.A. Alford, A.M. Hicks & M.A. Schwartz. The Handbook of Political Sociology: States, Civil Societies, and Globalization. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Ramakrishnan, S. Democracy in Immigrant America: Changing Demographics and Political Participation. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2005. Zukin, C., S. Keeter, M. Andolina, K. Jenkins, & M. Delli Carpini. A New Engagement? Political Participation, Civic Life and the Changing American Citizen. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Read More