Introduction:
For a sustaining political order political socialization is an important process. It is political socialization through which a nation or a society educates its succeeding generation to participate in political activities. Political socialization sustains the society in political attribute. Therefore in a state and society political socialization process is important.
Meaning:
Political socialization is a process by which political culture are maintained. The term political socialization was coined by H.H Hyman. Political socialization is the process for perpetuation of political values across generations. It is way to by which political culture, political values, believes, behaviors are transformed from one generation to the next. The process of political socialization may be direct or indirect, may be unifying or divisive. It continues throughout an individual’s life. It is a process whereby political attitudes and beliefs are transmitted from one generation to another, latently or manifestly, through various agencies.
Political socialization transforms political culture through various agents like-family, school, social and political institutions, peer groups, mass media, symbols, interest groups, political parties, civil society organizations etc.
Nature of political socialization in open society and closed society:
The basic process of political socialization is identical under all the society even though the system of mechanism may vary both in kind and in its effectiveness. Though in both the society- open and closed, objective of political socialization is to promote the political culture to the succeeding generations there are some differences in the process. Here nature of political socialization in open and closed society is discussed.
Nature of political socialization in open society:
Open society is transparent, non-authoritarian society where individuals are confronted with personal decisions. In an open society which permits dissent and opposition and allows multifarious interests to operate, variety of political norms and values flourish. In an open society as there is no restriction or control the agents of political socialization can pass the political culture to the next generation without any kind of restriction. In this type of society both private and public agents can socialize the political norms.
In an open society all kind of political culture can be promoted. In this type of society political culture may change with time. In this type of society multiple cultures can flow to the upcoming generation. In open society individual has the right to learn the culture he believe to be best for him. Here state or society has limited social control in political socialization.
In a open society less control has benefited a lot in sustaining political attributes to the future generation but it has also open the possibility for revolution. Due to absence of control a corrupt political norms can be transferred to the upcoming generation.
Nature of political socialization in closed society:
In close society state, society and other such institutions try to impose their own values on the people which influence the process of political socialization. The nature of political socialization in close society is different from an open society. In a close society, as there are some limitations, the agents of political socialization can’t pass all kind of political norms to the next generation. In a closed society only those behavior which suppose to favor state and society can be handover to the next generation A close society has less number of agents of political socialization than an open society. In this type of society some limited norms are flowed and these norms are generally not against the state and the authority.
Conclusion:
Here it is seen that the nature of political socialization varies from society to society. In an open society political socialization is easy than a closed society. In closed society limited ideas can be transferred to the next generation but in open society there is no limitation. However, the goal of political socialization in both societies is uniform i.e. maintenance of existing political system or status quo.
Bibliography:
1.Abraham M Francis, Modern Sociological Theory: An introduction, Oxford, Delhi, 1982
2.Ashraf, Ali and Sharma, L.N: Political sociology: A New Grammar of Politics, Hydarbad, Orient Longmans, 1983
3.Giddens, Anthony: Sociology, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2000.
4.Kavanagh, D; Political Culture, London, Macmillan, 1972.
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