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Political culture of the United Kingdom

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The political culture of the United Kingdom was described by the political scientists Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba (1963) as a deferential civic culture. In the United Kingdom, factors such as class and regionalism[1] and the nation's history such as the legacy of the British Empire impact on political culture.

Factors which have shaped British political culture

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  • Geography: Britain's position as an island nation
  • Religion: A Christian tradition, and notably a history of confessional clashes beginning in the 16th century and continuing into the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century between Calvinists (e.g. Presbyterians), Anglicans, and Roman Catholics.
  • History: The gradual evolution of the political system rather than revolution.
  • Sociology: Britain's conversion early on, compared to neighbouring states, away from a rural and agricultural society and into an urban and industrial society.

References

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Further reading

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  • Almond, Gabriel A., Verba, Sidney The Civic Culture. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company, 1965