A landmark study just published in the United States finds that "Our country is embracing many core progressive values and shows a real commitment to a progressive vision of government, international affairs and economic and political values that could transform the country in a way that has not been seen since FDR and the New Deal."

Published by the Centre for American Progress, this first and highly significant study, titled State of the American Political Ideology, 2009: A National Study of Political Values and Beliefs, is the first of what will be an annual national empirical survey of values and beliefs in America.

This study shows that "Americans are solidly centre-left in their ideas about the role of government, the economy and domestic politics, and somewhat less so on cultural and social issues."

This seismic shift in political values is driven by what the scholars in the study call the Millennial Generation - the young, 18-29-year-olds whose numbers helped to catapult Barack Obama to power.

Progressive approach favoured

According to the study, more than two-thirds of Americans rate a progressive approach (meaning left-of-centre) approach to politics favourably, a 25-point increase over the last five years.

The study is empirically rich and should provide much data for an enlivened discussion on American political and social life. The methodology is based on a set of 40 questions which were put to the American people. Of the top 15 statements with 60 per cent total agreement, only four are classified as conservative - and these relate to the need for more focus at home, stronger regulation of sex and violence in popular culture and the Internet (note, libertarian Jamaicans!); the importance of free trade and the view that government spending is wasteful and inefficient. (But the majority does support Government assistance to the people).

The study shows that six in 10 Americans hold progressive beliefs about the importance of diplomacy, alliances and international institutions - which must be greeted with delight in the international community. They also hold progressive views on the need for climate change, are concerned about the privileged position of corporations and support measures to reduce inequality by increasing taxes on those at the top.

Emerging ideological trends

In reading this study, it is clear that Barack Obama insightfully and masterfully tapped into emerging ideological trends and cleverly gave leadership and voice to the growing-to-a-groundswell rejection of the Reagan-Bush conservatism. Barack Obama is the face and voice of the New America. His election to the White House is not just a victory for black people; but, more broadly, a victory for the progressive forces.

The study finds that non college-educated Americans, meaning working-class people, have become radicalised in their beliefs. They believe, according to the study, that government polices too often serve the interests of corporations and the wealthy; that government has a responsibility to provide for the sick and the elderly, and that government must intervene in the economy when the market fails. They also believe that the gap between the rich and the poor needs to be reduced; that trade unions should play a positive role in the economy, and that rich people too often behave as though they are self-made rather than acknowledge that society contributed a lot to their wealth.

In other words, the class war - if we want to put it that way - that Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly accuse Barack Obama of fomenting is very much embraced by ordinary Americans who feel shut out of the benefits of bourgeois society.

Significant study

The Centre for American Progress also this month published another significant study, titled New Progressive America, which looks at how 'Twenty Years of Demographic, Geographic and Attitudinal Change Across the Country Herald a New Progressive Majority'. That study notes that Obama's 53 per cent of the popular vote versus John McCain's 46 per cent is the largest popular vote received by any presidential candidate in 20 years.

"The demographic trends accentuate the progressives' advantage," says New Progressive America. It was this Millennial Generation - those born between 1978 and 2000 - who gave Obama a smashing 66 per cent to 32 per cent margin over his Republican rival.

This generation adds 4.5 million adults to the voting pool every year.

Make no mistake about it, though, conservatism is not dead in America and The Centre for American Progress notes that. A significant majority still believes that "military force is the most effective way to combat terrorism and to make America safer". This, interestingly, is despite the fact that as much as 68 per cent of Americans believes that "America's security is best promoted by working through diplomacy, alliances and international institutions".

This, some would say shows the sophistication and good sense of the Americans to realise that while the muscular, unilateralist and arrogant Bush Doctrine might have been misguided, a totally pacifist position would give 'America's enemies' the wrong signal. Barack Obama takes the same post-ideological, pragmatic view. For while he promotes liberal internationalism and multilateralism, he is calling for more force in Afghanistan and a strong military budget.

Majority for Bush on security

Interestingly, too, the study finds a majority of Americans siding more with Bush than Obama on domestic security, as 51 per cent agree with 27 per cent strongly disagreeing that "we must do whatever is necessary to protect America from terrorism, even if it means restricting civil liberties or engaging in methods some might consider torture".

This important study of contemporary political values and beliefs of Americans should be carefully digested by those outside America, particularly those of us in the developing countries. State of American Political Ideology 2009 reveals that nearly three in four (74 per cent) Americans say that "America has taken too large a role in solving the world's problems and should focus more at home"; which is as much a rejection of the Bush adventurism as it is a drawing on a long tradition of American isolationism. A larger percentage disagree with the view that "America should spend more to help to meet basic economic, health and education needs of people around the world", while 38 per cent agree and 21 per cent remain neutral.

The American recession is deepening isolationist attitudes in America and any beefing up of aid to developing countries would have to be couched in pragmatic, utilitarian terms, showing how American economic health and prosperity depends on a healthy world economy and buoyant markets in emerging countries. Pure altruism will not be enough.

This study also shows why Obama has been wise to change his gloom and doom message to one of optimism and reassertion of faith in the resuscitation of the American economy. He has been criticised in certain sections of the American media for being too negative and, wise tactician that he is, he has responded by speaking more optimistically, even when the facts don't bear out his bullishness.

Many remain optimistic

But as this study shows, though "the recession is clearly affecting many Americans, this research finds that many Americans remain optimistic about their chances of achieving the American Dream despite the economic hardship across the country". This is the country which regaled its people with Horatio Alger stories and which produced Napoleon ('Think and Grow Rich') Hill, W. Clement Stone and Samuel Smiles. It is the country of Manifest Destiny, the Shining City on a Hill.

One of the most significant findings in this new research to me was that the majority of Americans (57 per cent) believes that "freedom requires economic opportunity and minimum measures of security, such as food, housing medical care and old-age protection"; compared to 38 per cent who favour the view that "freedom requires the individuals to be left alone on their own". This is a sea change and represents one of the biggest successes for the progressive movement. For Americans to come to hold that broad view of freedom - rather than the narrow view favoured by civil libertarians - is a major advance for progressive thinking.

Now to the social issues or culture wars. Here conservatives have suffered significant setbacks. State of American Political Ideology 2009 finds that more Americans (44 per cent ) disagree than agree (34 per cent) with the statement that "homosexuality is unnatural and should not be accepted by society", while 20 per cent remain open, unconvinced by the arguments of traditional Christians. Importantly, 59 per cent of Obama voters disagree with the statement about homosexuality being unnatural, with Hispanics (62 per cent), college graduates (52 per cent) and even Catholics - defined as non-devout - disagreeing also (by as much as 59 per cent).The New Progressive America study gives more attention to culture wars and social issues and makes some insightful comments. In a section titled 'the New Agenda' the scholars say, "One aspect of this new agenda is the likely diminution in the culture wars that have bedevilled American politics for so long." According to them, "Their cultural influence is being undermined by the rise of the Millennial Generation, increasing religious and family diversity and the decline of the culturally conservative white working class."

Culture war issues

Worrying to conservatives must be this statement: "Culture war, issues which so conspicuously failed to move many voters in the last couple of elections, will lose even more force in years to come." So issues of gay marriage, abortion, and stem cell research will not help Republicans. No wonder President Obama just two weeks ago backed a controversial United Nations resolution calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the 70 countries, including Jamaica, which still outlaw homosexuality.

He also very early reversed a Bush decision not to aid international family planning groups and clinics which promote abortion or give referrals for abortion services. He also reversed the Bush decision on stem cell research.

Obama can safely take these positions despite the howls of conservatives on talk radio and on Fox because he knows the cultural ground has shifted in America. A strong majority (58 per cent) of Millennials favour gay marriage.

Says New Progressive America: "We fast approach the day when we are no longer a majority white, Christian nation. This increased religious diversity, particularly the rise of secular Americans, is leading toward a more tolerant, culturally diverse politics." And "the ongoing decline of the white working class, generally a culturally conservative group, is another factor".

These are two must-read studies.

Ian Boyne is a veteran journalist who may be reached at ianboyne1@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.