Title

Spiritual Values, Religious Practices, And Democratic Attitudes

Abstract

Using data from the 1999–2001 World Values and European Values Surveys, this article examines the impact of spiritual values and religious practices on democratic attitudes in twenty countries throughout Western Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Africa. I assume that a reciprocal interaction between national conditions and individual orientations shapes support for democracy. Religious commitment as theological orthodoxy and attendance at religious services does not strengthen democratic views. Instead, explicitly political and cultural variables explain approval for democratic principles, particularly among industrialized countries. Individuals who express a low fear of threatening groups also back democratic institutions, regardless of a nation's industrialization. Among religious affiliations, Protestants in developing countries advocate democratic values. So do Muslims in industrialized countries. Nonmembers of religious institutions, however, are less likely to uphold democratic attitudes. © 2008, Religion and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association. All rights reserved.

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Publication Title

Politics and Religion

Volume

1

Issue

2

Number of Pages

216-236

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755048308000187

Socpus ID

85011497712 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85011497712

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