PORTRAITS OF FOUR TYPES OF CITIZENS

The following four descriptions illustrate the relationship of socioeconomic status, socialization,
personality, and political behavior. As you read these descriptions compare and contrast the political
behavior styles of the four men.
Man with Clout
Fred Miller grew up in a comfortable home. His father was
a successful lawyer with a high income. His parents belonged to
several leading social and civic organizations.
In school Fred was a capable student and a respected
athlete. He never doubted that he was an important member of
his school and community. He learned that every citizen has
both a right and a duty to participate in politics through reading,
listening, discussing, forming and expressing opinions, and
voting. Seeing his parents participate in political activities helped
to convince him of the importance of these duties.
In college Fred was further encouraged by his studies, his
teachers, and his friends to succeed in being an important,
responsible citizen. He also learned how to deal with people
effectively. Fred became confident that goals could be achieved
and changes could be made through political participation.
After graduating from college, Fred went into business for
himself. Through a combination of wise business deals and a
few years of hard work, Fred became owner of a large ad
profitable restaurant chain. With this business doing well, Fred
bought a row of apartment houses in a dilapidated section of his
city.
Freds political activity. Fred became a leader in the
local organization of the Republican party. Although he has never
run for public office, Fred supports certain candidates in every
election. He gives money and time, and uses his considerable
influence in the community in support of his candidates. They
are often elected.
In return for substantial support in en election campaign,
Fred Miller expects his candidates to do favors for him.
Because Fred has been successful in getting candidates elected
and in getting policies adopted that he favors he has become

known as a man with clout, or much influence, in the local

government.
Fred Millet uses his clout to further his business interests
and to help his friends. For example, when a bill that would have
hurt Freds restaurant business was proposed in the city council,
Fred and several other restaurant owners joined to oppose the
bill. They spoke against the bill at meetings of business
executives and clubs and in other public speeches. Most
importantly, Fred Miller contacted the mayor and three city
councilmen and told them that he and his friends would oppose
them in the next election of they allowed the bill to pass. The bill
was defeated, and Fred Millers reputation as a man with clout
was confirmed.
Fred Miller uses customary channels of political influence.
He has not participated in protest marches, sit-ins, pickets, or
other types of protest demonstrations. Rather, he makes political
bargains through direct contact with public officials and
community leaders
A new problem arises, Fred had never had any major
difficulties until the summer when the people living in his
apartment houses began complaining particularly loudly about
the conditions of the buildings. Fred knew they were in poor
condition, but he rarely went to that neighborhood to notice that
his apartments had become rat-infested, filthy, and run down.
The plumbing needed fixing, and the walls were cracked and
shabby. Many of the dwellings were severe fire hazards. Fred
either ignored the complaints or made only minimal efforts to
correct extreme problems. As long as Fred could keep the
apartments rented, he thought conditions must be generally
satisfactory. Besides, Fred believed that his tenants did not take
proper care of their apartments and would only damage them
again if he made repairs. Moreover, Fred reasoned that he would
1

PORTRAITS OF FOUR TYPES OF CITIZENS

The following four descriptions illustrate the relationship of socioeconomic status, socialization,
personality, and political behavior. As you read these descriptions compare and contrast the political
behavior styles of the four men.
have to raise the rents if he made improvements. Most of his
tenants could not afford a rent increase. Therefore, Fred
consoled himself by thinking that the present situation was best
for everyone.
In response to many complaints from tenement residents,
the city government devised a plan to set stricter construction,
sanitation and maintenance standards for housing in the city.
This housing plan was designed to please the tenants in the slum
section of the city, where Fred Millers apartments were located.
The mayor seemed anxious to please the voters in the slum
section, because they were becoming increasingly militant and
critical of the city government. Some slum-area residents had
recently formed a large and tightly organized political action
group.
Fred mobilizes his political resources. Fred Miller
believed the proposed housing plan would cost him much money.
So he quickly arranged a meeting of other people who owned
apartment houses in the slum neighborhood. Fred opened the
meeting with the following remarks: "It seems to me that we
should send someone to meet with the mayor and the directors
of the sanitation and housing departments our representative
could explain our position and present all the argument plans
against this proposal plan. We can probably convince them not
to put the plan in operation. But even if the mayor decides to
carry it out, perhaps we can get him to water it down, make it less
harmful to us.
Mr. Larson spoke up next: "This might work, Fred, but
maybe we should get a petition signed by the landlords and
present it to the mayor at the same time. The more people we
have on our side, the more convincing well be.
Good idea, Larson, replied Fred, and others nodded in
agreement. Ill appoint a committee to get the petition ready.

Wed better select someone tonight to represent us at a meeting

with the mayor, that is, if you all think arranging the meeting is a
good idea.
I think it would help our cause to get some of the people
in town on our side, remarked Frank Hayes. Suppose I write a
letter supporting our position to the editor of the paper.
No, I dont think thats a good idea, Frank, Fred replied.
If we do that, well arouse more opposition than support. But
why not send such a letter to other businessmen who would be
likely to agree with us anyway?
I suppose that makes sense, Frank responded
The landlords decided that Fred should ask for a meeting
with the mayor and represent all of the property owners at this
meeting. Fred was less confident than usual. He knew that he
faced a difficult challenge. While he could apply pressure to the
mayor, his opposition was stronger this time than ever before.
He was not sure that he had enough clout to win this political
battle
An Apolitical Man
Frank Hayes has been a close friend and neighbor to Fred
Miller Since childhood. Frank and Fred attended elementary
school, high school and college together. During his youth Frank,
along with Fred, enjoyed the privileges and opportunities of
wealth.
After completing college, Frank Hayes went to work in his
fathers bank. He became president of the bank when his father
retired. He also owns much property, including apartment
building s in the slum section of the city.
Unlike his friend Fred Miller, Frank Hayes is not very
interested in politics. He pays attention to political news in the
newspapers and on television, and he usually votes in public
elections. However, he does not belong to any political
2

PORTRAITS OF FOUR TYPES OF CITIZENS

The following four descriptions illustrate the relationship of socioeconomic status, socialization,
personality, and political behavior. As you read these descriptions compare and contrast the political
behavior styles of the four men.
organizations and does not take part actively in election
campaigns.
Frank Hayes is an apolitical man, a person who is not
involved in political affairs . Frank Hayes prefers to use his time,
money, energy, and skills to pursue his business interests and
hobbies. Whenever he has a problem involving the city
government, he asks Fred to use his clout to settle the
problem. In the conflict about new housing standards, Frank
looks to Fred Miller for leadership.
An Apathetic Citizen
Joe Johnson was born in the hills of eastern Kentucky,
where he lived in an overcrowded shack until the age of eight.
Then his family moved to the slum section of Fred Millers city.
Since his father made very little money, Joes family could not
afford luxuries and had to do without some necessities. For
example, the food was mostly inexpensive starches and not as
nourishing as meals which include lean meat, fresh fruits, and
vegetables. Sometimes their clothing had patches, or did not fit
well, or was not warm enough. There was no money to provide
the children with adequate medical or dental care.
Joe received an inferior education: Because of the
poverty of the area and the toughness of the neighborhood, it
was very hard to get good teachers. The slum area school were
poorly equipped. Most students did not think education was
important, but everyone had to attend school until the age of
sixteen, Joes parents had almost no education, and they gave
their children little encouragement to succeed in school.
Joes parents lacked knowledge and interest in politics, so
they never participated, If they mentioned politics at all, their only
comment was that it should be left to people who knew more
than they did. Joes parents tended to take things as they came
and resisted involvement in any activity which required much

effort. For example, a social worker once tried to organize the

people in Joes neighborhood against merchants who appeared
to be overcharging their customers. A well organized and
determined group could have forced these businessmen to
abandon unfair practices, but it would have taken much time and
work. The social worker was unable to find enough people willing
to carry out the project.
Seeing no prospects for an exciting career by remaining in
school, Joe decided he might as well quit at sixteen and begin
working. He soon married and started a family, still earning low
wages at whatever job was available. The only place he could
afford to live was in a slum area, where the houses were in bad
condition. Joe lived in one of Fred Millers houses.
Joe knew little about politics and cared less. He never
voted, skipped news stories in papers and magazines, and
almost never discussed public issues. His worries about money
made him feel that he had no control over his life. He felt he
would always be dependent on outside sources-a boss, a loan
company, or an unemployment check to keep his family going.
He felt especially inferior when trying to deal with people of
higher status than himself. Hoe Johnson was an apathetic
citizen.
Joes political inadequacies were also typical of many
other people in his neighborhood. This became evident one
summer when political action was needed. The condition of the
buildings in the neighborhood were intolerable, but the tenants
could not afford to make repairs. Fred Miller, the landlord,
refused to help. Several times during the spring and summer Joe
and some of the other tenants had called Freds office and
complained about bad plumbing, crumbling walls, broken
windows, and rats. Each time Fred promised to do something
but then failed to carry out his promises. The tenants grew more
3

PORTRAITS OF FOUR TYPES OF CITIZENS

The following four descriptions illustrate the relationship of socioeconomic status, socialization,
personality, and political behavior. As you read these descriptions compare and contrast the political
behavior styles of the four men.
and more discouraged and resentful. Although many of the
tenants felt the same as Joe, they had no formal organization
and no contracts with influential people. Effective action against
the landlords seemed impossible.

their followers. Much of what he read caused him to reexamine

his old ideas. he decided he had wasted his time trying to get
rich by helping the syndicate take money from poor people. Im
tired, he said, of living in a town where poor people are always
being shoved around by everyone else. He felt that it was time
A Political Activist
for poor people to start speaking up for themselves, because, as
While Joe Johnson and his friends complained among
he said, there isnt anybody else looking out for us anyway.
themselves about their housing problem, Larry Mason was busy
When Larry left prison, he returned to his former
trying to solve the problem through political action. During the
neighborhood. He persuaded five friends to help him form an
past year Larry Mason, with several other young men, had
organization to aid underprivileged people. At first, these men
formed the Community Organization for Underprivileged People
continued in their regular jobs as manual laborers and only
(COUP) to help poor people deal more effectively with public
helped to organize COUP in their spare time. However, Larrys
officials and businessmen in the community.
ability to talk to the people of his neighborhood, as well as
Larry Mason, the founder and director of COUP, is an
favorable publicity for some of COUPs initial projects, enabled
extraordinary young man. He was born and raised in Joe
COUP to grow in size and effectiveness. Larry and his friends
Johnsons neighborhood. His family was poor and large, and
eventually left their old jobs to become full-time administrators of
Larry had to quit school at age sixteen to help support his
the political action organization. People in the neighborhood
younger brothers and sisters.
depended on COUP to help them apply pressure on public
After two years of working at frustrating, low-paying jobs,
officials to get such services for the neighborhood as better
Larry became a runner for a local gambling syndicate. As a
garbage collection, street repair, recreation facilities, and better
runner Larry collected bets for numbers, policy, and bolito
police protection. COUP encouraged the unemployed to enter
gambling operations.
work-training programs and sometimes helped them find jobs.
Through these activities Larry earned a sizable income
COUP helped poor people to work with welfare department
and became known in the neighborhood as a man with good
officials and to obtain the assistance of lawyers. Through his
connections. Larry sometimes used his new wealth and
leadership of COUP, Larry Mason hopes to convince the people
influence with the gambling syndicate to do favors for his friends. of his neighborhood that there is strength in unity and that clout
Larry was becoming a neighborhood leader when the police
can be generated from a tightly-knit and well-led organization.
cracked down on the local gambling operation and arrested Larry.
COUP puts pressure on City Hall: During the past
He was sentenced to three years in prison.
month Larry Mason has been pressuring the city government to
Larry decides to use his political skills. During his term on do something about the condition of the apartments in his
prison, Larry passed the time by reading. He read articles about neighborhood. He told the mayor and the council representative
the problems of poor people in America, and biographies of
from his area that he could guarantee a sizable bloc of votes for
courageous leaders who had worked hard to improve the lives of them in the next election if they helped now to improve the
4

PORTRAITS OF FOUR TYPES OF CITIZENS

The following four descriptions illustrate the relationship of socioeconomic status, socialization,
personality, and political behavior. As you read these descriptions compare and contrast the political
behavior styles of the four men.
neighborhood. He threatened to cause trouble for the city
government if the housing problems were not solved.
While the city government officials hesitated, trying to
decide how to react to the issue about housing standards, Larry
Mason and COUP increased their pressure. Picketers parading
around City Hall carried signs insisting that the city government
accept COUPs demands.
At an open meeting of COUP, Larry Mason urged the
people of his neighborhood to remain united. Mason declared:
We must stand up and be strong and refuse to
cooperate with those who could oppress us. Let the
mayor and his cronies see that together we have more
power than the landlords. We must convince the
mayor that he will lose the next election if he doesnt
help us now.
Larrys audience cheered as he finished his speech. Joe
Johnson was among those attending the meeting. A friend had
asked him to come. After listening to Masons speech, Joe
Johnson decided to join COUP. Joe had never heard anyone so
much like himself speak so forcefully. Maybe Mason is right,
he said to his friends. Maybe we can do something about our
problems if we stick together and stand up and be strong against
the big-shots in this city.