... popular participation as both desirable and effective. A subject political culture is characterised by more passivity amongst citizens, and the recognition that they have only a very limited capacity to influence government. A parochial political culture is marked by the sense of citizenship, with people identifying with their locality rather than the nation, and having neither the desire nor the ability to participate in politics. Almond and Verba argued that a 'Civic Culture' i.e. a blend of all three types of political culture, reflected Britain's political culture. This civic culture approach to the study of political culture has been criticised because of its emphasis on passivity and the recognition that deference to authority is healthy. Almond and Verba also tend to treat political culture as homogeneous, papering over possible sources of tension. It does not highlight political subcultures or examine divisions based of class, race and gender. If the British political ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now