The idea of political culture is found in the history of the state. The history of the state is influenced by the people who settled in the region, religious background and geography. State history influences the attitudes and beliefs people have about their political system. Daniel Elazar theorized a connection between states' history and attitudes toward government explaining differences in governance among states. Every state is different with some common ground. Elazar's theory divides states into three types: moralist, traditionalist and individualist. The state constitution defines the powers of the government with biases related to political culture. Because of the state constitution, political culture influences the power and limitations of governors, legislatures, and magistrates. The northeastern part, the northern Midwest, and the northwestern part of the country tend to be moralistic states. Citizens of these states believe that the role of government should promote policy interest and innovation for the benefit of the public. The expectations for the government are that politicians make changes within the state with public services. Government tends to have a larger budget, as opposed to traditionalist and individualistic public spending, which is praised for promoting the common good. Citizens are very active in participating, dictating the laws and policies of their state. In these states competition is expected, because popularity is essential for the politician. However, in traditionalist states these characteristics vary. Traditionalist states are found in southern states and rural areas such as Texas. Unlike moralistic states, citizens are not expected to participate in politics… middle of paper. Depending on the political culture of the states, the judge is elected by popular election with party or non-party elections. The political culture of the state affects the ability of judges to make decisions. Judges must uphold a strict interpretation based on past precedent, but it is difficult due to social pressure. For example, moralist Massachusetts approved civic unions for gays, however, the traditionalist state of Georgia would likely deny gay rights. Works Cited Kevin B. Smith, Alan Greenblatt, and John Buntin, Governing states and localities: First Edition (Washington, DC: CQ Press ), 2005, 95.Kevin B. Smith, Housekeeper, 100.Kevin B. Smith, Housekeeper, 100 .Kevin B. Smith, Housekeeper, 100-101.Kevin B. Smith, Housekeeper, 177.Kevin B. Smith, Housekeeper, 223-235.Kevin B. Smith, Housekeeper, 257-271.
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