Melvin Kohn, Ronald Inglehart en de verklaring van cultureel conservatisme. Een empirisch-theoretische kritiek

Samenvatting

Both Kohn and Inglehart claim that the value one attaches to individual liberty can be explained from one's economic position. According to Kohn, occupational self-direction entails a non-authoritarian outlook and according to Inglehart growing up under conditions of affluence leads to an appreciation of individual liberty and self-attainment (postmaterialism). Analysis of data from a representative sample from the Dutch population leads to a rejection of both hypotheses. It is demonstrated, first, that postmaterialism and authoritarianism can in fact both be conceived of as indicators of a more general concept of cultural conservatism. Second, neither can be explained from one's economic position — be it occupational self-direction or parental affluence. Strongest postmaterialism and weakest authoritarianism/cultural conservatism are not found among certain economic categories, but among highly educated, culturally interested, non-religious young people. Theoretical implications for sociological debates about modernity and modernization are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Mens en Maatschappij is the property of Amsterdam University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)