An American Ethos? The Role of Underlying Values in Attitudes about Government

• In Event: Assessing Mechanisms Explaining Trust in Government

Abstract

The American Ethos (1980) was the capstone of Herb McClosky's many decades in studying the attitudes about government. McClosky famously found that Americans widely adhere to respect for capitalism and democracy, among elites and voters, and all along the ideological spectrum. We adapt these scales to two nationally representative samples of current US attitudes, and find remarkable stability in veneration for these underlying scales. Contra those who argue that socialism is growing in appeal to the young, Americans under 40 express broad support for capitalist values. Contra those who caution against a growing illiberalism in Americans tolerance for fringe political ideas, Americans also express consistent support for Democratic ideals.

Authors

• Thomas Wood, The Ohio State University

• J. Eric Oliver, University of Chicago