Factors That Influence Beliefs in Politics

The term, Solid South, was historically used, from the end of the Civil War until the middle of the 1960s, to refer to the fact that the South almost always voted for the Democratic Party. This was born, in part, out of the South’s response to the Republican party’s northern associations during the Civil War and its aftermath. These days, the "Solid South" could just as easily be applied to the fact that the South very consistently votes Republican.

This question is designed to test reading skills as well as subject knowledge. John Locke wrote extensively about the legitimacy of government as well as ways in which it should operate. All information needed is contained within the question. Locke is clearly stating his views regarding a rulers place within the law.

"Gender gap," refers to the consistent differences between the voting patterns of men and women. For example, women are much more likely to vote for increased restrictions on gun ownership. Women are also, particularly in contemporary times, less likely to vote conservative than men. The only statement above that is true is that women are more likely to support an increase in government spending on social welfare.

The issue of gun ownership and gun rights is most likely to create a massive gender gap in the pattern of voting. Women are generally against gun ownership, whereas men are generally in favor of it; of course, this is a broad generalization. Perhaps surprisingly, there is a small, but not massive, gender gap on issues such as women’s rights and gay rights.

The writings of Thomas Hobbes explored the relationship between man and government. Hobbes had a non-idealized vision of human nature and advocated for social contract and government intervention in human society. He uses the stability brought about by government to justify an amount of control exerted by governments. Hobbes was an influential thinker throughout the 18th century and influence a number of early American legislators.

The pluralist theory believes that, by and large, interest groups (contrary to public opinion) actually do follow all the expected rules when pursuing their goals. According to pluralist belief, interest groups avoid depiction, manipulation, cheating, and/or falsehoods out of simple common sense and self-interest – each group wants a fair chance to achieve their aims and so therefore they all implicitly agree not to act in unfair ways that would otherwise unjustly obstruct each other. This default code of cooperation and ethical conduct underlies all interest group activities, reducing corruption and helping to keep each group’s ambitions in check.

Modern fiscal conservatives favor reducing spending, reducing taxation and regulation, lowering national debt, and lowering and balancing budgets.

Since the 1980 election, there has been a very clear voting pattern in American general elections, where women are much more likely than men to vote for a candidate from the Democratic Party. The two largest gender discrepancies in American history have occurred during the successful elections of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Men are more likely to vote for gun ownership rights, but men are also more likely to vote for a decreased role of government. Women are more likely to support affirmative action to encourage racial and social equality.

There is a growing gender gap in American politics. To oversimplify, women are more likely to vote Democratic and support liberal positions on economic and social issues, while men are more likely to vote Republican and support conservative positions on economic and social issues. The greatest gender gap can be evidenced in the large majority of women who favor major restrictions on gun ownerships, versus far fewer men.

Followers of Judaism are by far the most likely religious group in contemporary America to have liberal opinions on issues and to vote for liberal candidates. The religious right, predominantly Southern Protestants, are the most likely group to vote conservatively on issues.