Cultural secularization

Refers to ‘a process whereby men (political participants) become increasingly rational, analytical, and empirical in their political action.’³⁸ For example, in a traditional political culture one would seek legitimacy based on may be traditional factors as Weber says but in a democratic set-up one seeks office based on calculation of votes, information on voters’ requirements and rationally and empirically evaluated options. Cultural secularization in a sense is a shift from traditional to rational-legal basis of political process. Cultural secularization requires that the people’s political orientation in its awareness, feeling and evaluation becomes more analytical, empirical and based on information and choices of options than merely on diffused, traditional and parochial linkages.

Use of political culture in terms of whether it is homogeneous or heterogeneous also becomes important for analysing and comparing democratic systems. It is generally held that all political cultures are mixed and parochial, subject and participant elements are present in different degrees. The degree of this mix in the political culture or the nature and pattern of distribution of a particular orientation becomes important for analysing the possibility of democratic stability.