Youth and Political Deference in England
In: Canadian journal of political science: CJPS = Revue canadienne de science politique : RCSP, Band 10, Heft 3, S. 573-595
ISSN: 0008-4239
Examined is the theme that English culture is suffused with deference to political authority. Using a definition of political deference derived from the literature, little quantitative evidence was found to support the assumption that political deference is widespread among the electorate. Using evidence relating to deference among the next generation of electors, an attempt is made to assess the persistence of political deference in England. Evidence is taken from an exploratory survey of 547 fourth form pupils in Southeast England. Levels of political deference in the sample were measured using a four-item scale derived through a factor analytic procedure used on a number of multiple-choice items specifically fashioned to tap elements of deference. The levels measured suggested English adolescents are not particularly deferential, even as compared to an, albeit smaller, sample of American adolescents. In addition, factors such as type of school, school authority patterns, & SC -- which others have cited as contributing to the British approach to political authority -- explain relatively little variance in levels of deference. Moreover, evidence is provided that previous observers may have been amiss in neglecting the importance of party identification, in that there appears to be a kind of conditional deference among supporters of the governing party. AA.