Chicano Community Control, Political Cynicism and the Validity of Political Trust Measures

Abstract

T HE NOTION of political cynicism has held a special fascination for political scientists and political sociologists. Conceptual ties to longstanding philosophical preoccupations with legitimacy, stability, and social change endow the study of political mistrust with an almost archetypal quality. As a result, the literature in this field is quite extensive and is characterized by lively controversies concerning the utility of the concept as a measurement of popular discontent.1 Given its compelling conceptual centrality, the study of political cynicism quickly attained great significance within the relatively new field of Chicano politics. Early studies tended to corroborate the hypothesis that Chicanos display higher levels of political mistrust than Anglos but lower levels than blacks.2 Subsequent studies have dealt with the process of attitude acquisition. Here, preliminary findings indicate that high political cynicism is not transmitted within the Chicano family: very young Chicanos tend to be most trusting, but acquire a cynical posture (presumably through unpleasant experiences in an Anglo world) during adolescence.3 The current study represents an attempt to build upon these earlier findings by investigating varying levels of political cynicism within the diverse Chicano population. Specifically, this effort entails an examination of differences in affective and behavioral political orientations displayed by Chicano high school students, young adults on the brink of full civic participation, living in communities possessing clearly divergent patterns of Chicano political influence. Other observers of Chicano politics have already commented on the great regional diversity Chicanos display across the United States.4 Chicanos are