Race, Political Orientation, and Participation: An Empirical Test of Four Competing Theories

Competing theories about differences between American blacks and whites in rates of political participation and joining of voluntary organizations are tested using data from a 1967 national sample survey. Prior literature offers four theories that seek to explain these differences: ethnic community theory, compensatory theory, isolation theory, and cultural inhibition theory. A typology of political orientations is developed, based on the underlying dimensions of political trust and political efficacy, and it is argued that the competing theories deal with the expected behavior of blacks with each of the four orientations thus defined, The theories are tested by computing expected mean participation rates for blacks of each orientational type and comparing these to the observed mean rates. The comparisons reveal whether participation rates for blacks with each orientation differ from those to be expected on the basis of their social class and demographic characteristics. The results give strong support to the ethnic community theory and clear counterevidence to the compensatory theory of black participation; the isolation and cultural inhibition theories receive virtually no support. Some broader theoretical implications of these results are suggested.