Society and political culture

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors discuss the concept of 'political culture' and an examination of its importance in political life. They show that political cultural values do not exist in isolation; they are influenced by the social backgrounds and life experiences of those who hold them. The authors show the context within which Irish political cultural values have been acquired through an examination of the evolution of certain aspects of Irish society. They consider the extent to which this pattern of evolution has generated a characteristic set of values. The outstanding characteristic of socio-economic development in Ireland, viewed over the long term, has been a fundamental shift in the nature of the economy and a radical change in social structure. By conservatism the authors mean a leaning in the direction of support for traditional values and a preference for low levels of state regulation, especially in economic matters.