Different Approaches to Governance - Research Paper Example

The first of these which will be discussed is that of the individualistic approach.  This can be defined as an approach to governance that places a high level of emphasis upon the predicate that the government should be restricted to allowing a high degree of private initiative.  Although not strictly speaking a libertarian interpretation of the government’s responsibility to the system and vice versa, it is perhaps one of the more libertarian viewpoints of government’s role within society.  Ultimately, within this context, the government is seen to have a strictly utilitarian purpose to maximize efficiency without allowing any firm of waste or bureaucracy to drain the productive energies that would otherwise result. 

Conversely, a traditionalistic political culture best describes a type of political culture that prizes family ties more than the other two which will be enumerated upon.  Whereas the individualistic approach tries to minimize the role that government may play within society and or the community, the traditionalistic approach seeks to place a positive role that government can and should integrate with in regards to the community.  Whereas other approaches place a great degree of emphasis on a particular determinant, the traditionalistic approach is no different in this respect as it places the highest degree of emphasis on seeking to engage the government in the task of maintaining the social order that is already in existence.  In this way, this type of view is inherently conservative as it attempts to maintain the status quo via the utilization of governmental power. 

Similarly, the last form of political culture that will herein be enumerated upon is that of the moralistic political culture.  As the name implies, this particular approach places a very high degree of importance on seeking to utilize the government as a “positive force” within society.  In this particular view, the government is viewed as something of a positive force within society.  The expectation is that serving the community is the ultimate core of civic and political responsibility.  Regardless of political stripes, these individuals oftentimes seek to engender a degree of political harmony for the sake of loyalty and understanding.  It is important to note that such an understanding of the role of government within society oftentimes equates to a greater and higher degree of public/amateur participation within the realm of politics than the other 2 which have been previously mentioned.