Texas Shifting Political Significance of Structural Trend - Research Paper Example

of 18April Texas’ shifting political significance of structural trend Much of the Texas political actions come at the intersection of economics, cultural, social, demographic and government. Sometimes boldly, and other times subtly. It should not be much surprising since local government and the state enmesh in the economy, social and demographic trend at all sectors and levels. State activities in this trends range from the high basics like staff employment to run the operations to the arcane like for telecommunication companies’ regulation (Esser 277). When examining the interactions that interconnect economic outcomes and decision making politically, we are studying structural trends and political economy. Therefore, this paper will discuss the political significance of shifting structural (economic, cultural, social, demographic) trend in Texas. Political economy The economy creates a significant context in understanding of Texas’ political culture. It can assist in the shaping of the political culture. The economy’s development can shape certain political stereotypes and perceptions-and the society’s various sectors. With much involvement of the government in the economy, economic actors from private sectors have every reason to get involved in political participation to become actors in politics (Gutierrez 217). Since the earlier settlement improved by oil production and land grants boosted by state law to the technology backed by the government in the past two decades, the government has been protecting and promoting state economic interests. It has happened so with the positive participation of political representatives of the interests. This marriage of politics and business has been successful in the Texas government’s council. Economically, Texas permits public expenditure or even subsidizes industries and various activities which include manufacturing, road building, and real estate development to professional sports (Gutierrez 115). Also, the state promotes the oil extraction in a sensitive environment, promoting human health services thus promoting exchange between executives and private interests that in turn brings about political access disparities between powerful economic interests and ordinary people. The stability of the marriage of politics and business stands on pragmatism of both the result and the cause of the state’s booming economic history. In Texas, the culture has created entrepreneurial politicians and giants of savvy entrepreneurs, the government has made and protected businesses and established industries with incentives, exemptions, state contracts and subsidies during both wicked and good economic times (Mayer 265).The resulting distortions and inefficiencies in the economy’ structure and negligence of public interests have hindered a diversified development of a modern economy. The in-come tax absence, the reluctance to set a side funds for the delivery of education and social services have distorted the state’s growth and development. With the agreement that the government’s business is to uplift business, it has been constant throughout the history of the state, the public services delivery like public health and education has been present despite constitutional and legal mandate. It is no surprise that the link between the economy and government is political and occupied by the influence of well-financed and well-organized private interests. It is too unsurprising that state governments perpetuate efforts to deriver public services that might raise the state of Texas amongst other states. The interaction patterns between the policy makers and the economic interests in the “reduced services, low taxes “government dominance to both the broader body politics and government halls (Mayer 205). Business leaders, such as political leaders and several voters saw government income tax as beyond the reasonable realm. As a result, the state services provision remains low because the money to fund them is little. Inevitably, if many interactions between economics and politics create the Texas politics fabric, the pattern that emerges from the interactions is the low services, low taxes agreements that dominate political, business and the state policy making circles. The economy of the state can improve since its values and ideals are not static. They involve general response to the trajectory of the economy. A deep look at the section between politics and the economy can be traced in the political economy of Texas’ political chapter. The importance of this section is to show how the economy’s dynamics reflect and shape the state’s culture in a manner that has political consequences (Gutierrez 245). Another section looks at two related areas of the present Texas economy that opens up the behavior of the state’s political culture: patterns in wealth distribution of the regional differences in the state’s economic development. Understandings of Texas’ economic development that help unite both of these factors. Political culture Political culture is a shared framework of beliefs, values and habits or behavior related to politics and government. These patterns and ideals of behavior grow with time and affect the political lifestyle of a country, state or region. When analyzing Texas diversity and complexity politically and culturally, we come into full realization that any one quality can be labeled “Texan” will not be applicable to all in the state. It is a home to a wide diverse population. Texas is a territory for slavery politics and civil war. It has the diversity to economic interests, increasing interest in the U.S. Senate, and the expansion of general political offices added up to the division recurrence of proposals in 1930’s. Diverse complexity interplay of economics, cultural, social, demographic redefine how Texas people think of themselves. Political understanding of the state will be incomplete without efforts to analyze the interplay forces that modify Texans and fellow state residents (Newell 306). However, the political culture concept refers to how we understand the aspects of government and society and politics, the government’s relationship and the people and also people’s rights and responsibilities. Populism, liberation, and conservatisms boost Texas' political culture and ideologies. Populism primarily touches on the well being of ordinary citizens and willingness as a virtue of political cultural position. Populism consists of both social and political dimensions. It may support different political stands (Gutierrez 135). They include social forms of conservancy or rely on the style to people other than substance that political leaders are longing for in cultural political grounds. Liberalism occupies the primary political activities on political arrangements that allow liberty to the fullest as long as others’ liberties unreasonably restricted. Social conservatism emerges from feudal English thinking the classical conservatism of the European (Mayer 255). It interprets the social transition. Social conservatives support the use of state to strengthen traditional social relationships. In modern forms, social conservatives support government use to strengthen traditional social relationship. Political culture establishes the ground on which politics settles. It establishes external boundaries of what is possible. Since political actors understand the limits set by political culture, they use political culture elements to achieve their goals. Opponents and supporters of social welfare spending reductions, regulatory policy change, permission for natural gas and oil drilling and many more carefully present their views in their own political culture. Additionally, culture provides political understanding context. It is the centre for politics and political discussion language. Political culture unites people from different backgrounds by providing symbol and commonly understood language. Consequently, culture politically shapes debate terms for competing parties in the society. Political culture has helped in shaping political conflicts in recent years (Walsh 108).Recent Texas’ revision to the tax system signals continuous politics and conflicting tension surrounding “low services, low taxes” model of Texas. Culture and Political Socialization From the previous discussion of this topic, to be Texan is a continuous redefinition that changes interplay by diverse historical, economic, social and demographic forces. The process involved in this wide interplay molds individuals, political and social identities and also political socialization as process that practically begins the moment life begins (Mayer 215). This section focuses on the forces and process by which individuals perpetuate, adopt and change the political culture. These forces strengthen continuity with time while allowing change-sometimes dramatic change and sometimes evolutionary change. The balance between change and continuity in Texas politics and the community is a recurring subject in all Texas political chapters. Political socialization as defined formally, is a process by which an individual acquires values, beliefs and habits of thought and actions related to politics, government and society. Here, we can distinguish between political socialization and general socialization. Political socialization involves beliefs about people, their government and society (Esser 102). General socialization includes acquisition of proper antique and good manners. As we grow, we expand socialization agent. These involve, then friends, other family members, schools, places of worship and religion. Other friends and family are likely to strengthen the values and the points already taken in by guardians and parents. If friends and family share general political views, because of a common interest, social economic class and ethnicity, individual opinions and views inevitably diverge with heightening exposure to a huge set of influences. Typically this process is gradual. Public schools are consecutive naturally in that they conserve and reproduce the society’s dominant values. As people move to higher learning institutions, the encounter more contradictory and controversial vies. Higher learning institutions particularly in Texas are most likely to provide a variety of political influences. Students get exposed to views that differ with their existing attitudes and beliefs (Esser 102). Demographics Demographically, the poor, minority and women in Texas historically have enjoyed poor standards of political presentation and participation in the government as compared to their population. Even though, these groups have made advanced progress and locating them in office. In the past three decades, they still under go economic hardships, low education standards and language barrier for immigrant (Newell 325). Women face traditional challenges of fulfilling responsibilities as caregivers to children, as well as managing professional responsibilities, be it political or any other fields. Also, discrimination and prejudice limit opportunities for women, minorities and the poor in political participation. Today, women engage in different forms of political activities at nearly equal or higher than men. As we have leant, their participation in the government does not match the majority (in comparison to men) in the population. Additionally, women’s culture as care givers to children, cause other additional obstacles. It has along the way to go before minorities, the poor and women achieve standards of representation and acceptance that the population deserves. In Texas political representation and participation rating for minorities and women started to grow in 1970s after the implementation of the civil rights act of 1964. Also, the voting rights act of 1965 contributed the same measures to women and minorities (Walsh 235). For more than three generations after the historic national registration was in effect, the inclusion of the political minorities and to that level, women and the minorities remain a task in progress. The information in the thinking comparatively focus the voting demographics which indicates that non-Hispanic whites voted at highest standards among all ethnic groups and racial in the 2000 election, followed by blacks, Asian, pacific Islanders and then Hispanics. In terms of public office presentation, the disparities are extremely wider. African-American only occupied 1.7% of offices elected in 2000 elections far below the population numbers. Latinos showed higher turnout of 7.1of all elective offices in 2003 which showed a decline in population numbers. As is the case in other elected offices, Latinos, African American and women have all gained by clinching state legislative seats in past years, but their numbers do not balance the population. In terms of public office presentation, the disparities are extremely wider. African-American only occupied 1.7% of offices elected in 2000 elections far below the population numbers. Latinos showed higher turnout of 7.1% of all elective offices in 2003 which showed a decline in population numbers. As is the case in other elected offices, Latinos, African American and women have all gained by clinching state legislative seats in past years, but their numbers do not balance the population. Partially, minimal participation standards of the poor and minorities correlate the attainment of education which for many immigrants described by the inability to communicate in English. The 2000 presidential elections, the voting demographic feature, shows that Texas residents who posses a high school education, showed a 30% voting turnout below the Texans who hold a college degree. Language ability and education constitutes only a section of the explanation for inactive participation, however. Another crucial factor is the political system that does not create space for immigrants and the poor. With time, the political institutions seem to strengthen political behavior patterns which in the other hand reinforce the present habits and political ways of thinking (Newell 315). First-American generation and the immigrant populations seem to be younger as compared to non-immigrant population. Most first –generation Americans or the immigrants are not so much old to participate in the formal-legal democratic activities such as, voting or public office occupation. This is a crucial point that exhibits the potential for drastic changes in political economic grounds (Esser 237). These groups’ political become even more established in the society and begin to gain more political powers. Conclusively, in a place such as Texas political culture consensus about ideals and core values complicates social and cultural issues. Despite several national flags and numerous constitutions the political parties changing fortunes and almost complete transformed the economy, the state displays a remarkable political continuity. The dominance of political culture’s economic combination and liberalism, social conservatism and also populism has proven resilient for many decades and centuries in Texas. Works Cited Esser, Frank, and Barbara Pfetsch. Comparing political communication: theories, cases, and challenges. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print. Gutie?rrez, David. Walls and mirrors Mexican Americans, Mexican immigrants, and the politics of ethnicity. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995. Print. Mayer, Lawrence C.. Comparative politics: nations and theories in a changing world. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print. Newell, Charldean, David F. Prindle, James W. Riddlesperger, and Richard H. Kraemer. Texas politics. 11th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Walsh, Casey. Building the borderlands a transnational history of irrigated cotton along the Mexico-Texas border. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2008. Print. Read More