ABSTRACT
Two opposing dangers beset the use of the much-debated concepts of “culture” and “political culture.” On the one hand, it is all too easy to make them explain too much—and, on the other, too simple to imagine that they can be explained away. While cultures are historically conditioned, a concern with the patterns of the past should not lead us to underestimation of the significance of the times people actually live through, the direct impact of their personal experience. Culture, nevertheless, amounts to a good deal more than current attitudes. It embraces values, deep-rooted beliefs, and sense of identity. Attitudes are malleable and may be subject to quite rapid change. Values, beliefs, and identities, although they are not immutable, generally change more slowly.
