Political and Racial Tolerance Political Science 491 Mark Peffley

Lecture Outline II:

Empirical Evidence to Evaluate Democratic Theories

I. James Gibson: "Political Intolerance and Political Repression during the McCarthy Red Scare”

A. What are his basic findings with respect to whodunit during the McCarthy Red Scare in the states—elites or masses?

B. What implications does this have for the three democratic theories?

II. Survey Studies of Political Tolerance among the Masses

A. Samuel Stouffer’s study and optimism about future levels of political tolerance

B. John Sullivan, et al: “The Sources of Political Tolerance: A Multivariate Analysis,”

1. Content-controlled measures of “generic” political tolerance

a) Two-step process of political intolerance:

(1)Target group selection: Select the group you like the least

(2)Political Tolerance: Decide whether to allow a member of the group to run for office, give a speech, etc.

b) Illusory increases of mass political tolerance over time?

2. Understanding the Sources of Political Intolerance among the Masses (What makes some people more intolerant than others?)

a) Commitment to general norms of tolerance (i.e., civil liberties: "I believe in free speech/letting anyone run for office/giving a speech, no matter what their views are"). Generally high acceptance at the abstract level, but fairly low tolerance when these principles are applied to least-liked groups. Depends on commitment to other values and perceived benefits and costs of tolerance.

b) Personality: “Psychological Insecurity” (e.g., dogmatism and closed-mindedness: "there are two types of people, those who are for the truth and those who are against the truth"; Right-wing authoritarianism (RWA)). Psychological insecurity and the intolerant personality (i.e., the dogmatic, authoritarian personality).

c) (Social) Conservatism: Conservative social values, RWA, moral absolutism, and a general disposition toward intolerance, civil liberties associated with “liberal” groups who pose a threat to the social and political order.

d) Perceived threat of target group (e.g., ratings of group as "dangerous,” violent" or "untrustworthy")

e) Social background characteristics (e.g., education, urbanization, religion, etc.). Discussion of indirect versus direct effects on degree of political tolerance.

f) Political involvement

Question is: how do these findings affect support for the three democratic theories? In other words: Which theory fits the "facts" (survey and historical evidence) the best? Which theory should be used to prescribe solutions for coping with intolerance and preventing political repression?

III. Comparative focus on political tolerance in other countries

A. Sullivan, et al, 1993: Comparisons of levels of tolerance between elites and masses in U.S., Britain, Israel, and New Zealand.

1. How do we explain levels of elite tolerance?

a) Selective Recruitment?

b) Adult Political Socialization?

2. Why do we find low levels of tolerance among both masses and political elites in Israel?

3. Who appears more committed to their position? The tolerant or the intolerant? Is it easier to talk the initially tolerant or intolerant out of their position?

IV. Focus on Political Tolerance Toward Specific Groups (e.g., homosexuals and blacks)

A. Trade-offs in focusing on political tolerance toward specific versus least-liked groups.

B. Origins of political intolerance toward gays and lesbians

C. The “Religious Right” and efforts to raise the level of perceived threat from homosexuals

1. Traditional social values engender political intolerance toward all groups outside the political mainstream through dogmatism, authoritarianism, and moral absolutism, which leads one to be politically intolerant toward all groups outside the political mainstream.

2. Thus, it may be unreasonable to expect people to put political tolerance first, above all their other values. May have to rely on government to do this.