Political socialisation is both a formal and informal process of social and educative learning, by which political attitudes, preferences, skills, habits and beliefs are consciously and unconsciously imbibed by the individuals or citizens. It is a very important process. It orientates the people not only towards one or the other kind of political behaviour, political philosophy and ideology, but also causes stability or instability, continuity or change, and strength or weakness in a political system, and in the government of a country. It determines the type of participation ia politics and government by the people. It is, indeed, die political aspect of the general process of socialisation which is always taking place in every society and culture. Harold D. Lasswell explains this process as thus: who learns what, from whom, under what circumstances, and with what effects.
Political learning begins early in family life, when the child is still young, when different treatment of the little boys and girls produces different political attitudes and behaviour in them. Generally speaking, boys are expected to be active in politics, while girls are deliberately denied political orientation and participation by their parents and other people around them. Gass differences also produce differences in political attitudes and behaviour. Richer and well-off classes expect their members, young and old, to learn political skills and habits of domination and superiority, while the poorer classes are mostly humble, docile and submissive in their political attitudes and behaviour.
Agents of political socialisation are several; some of them influence the people more actively and deliberately, while others inculcate political attitudes, etc., more passively and unconsciously. Among the first is die family. Many of the political attitudes, beliefs, preferences and skills are learnt by the children at home. But, as we said above just now, this learning is affected by sex and class differences. In a traditional society, as for instance in India or Pakistan, die political education in the family is also influenced by the larger groups around the family, such as the castes and clans, tribes and baradaries, etc. Ethnic troubles, e.g., in Pakistan, are mainly, though not exclusively, caused by this kind of political socialisation in the family and neighbourhood life.
The second powerful agent is die school. Not only the political attitudes and beliefs of the teachers influence their pupils, but civic education is purposely imparted to them. This is one reason why the subject of civics is always taught in schools. Moreover, patriotism is also taught in schools by such methods as the daily singing of national anthem or saluting the national flag.
Other agents of political socialisation are newspapers, and journals, radio and television, political parties, pressure and interest groups, friends and neighbours, etc. Sometimes the influence of these agents is deliberate and consciously inculcated, but most often it is not so. Moreover, their influence produces some de-stabilising effect on the growing minds of the young people, for they sometimes learn the political cynicism of the adults around them. Consequently, they begin to downgrade political sentiments of loyalty and patriotism. This type of dichotomy in political socialisation also causes the phenomenon, called the revolt of the youth, especially among the college and university students. However, in the ideological countries, such as the Communist countries or Khomeini’s Iran,’ ^deliberate political socialisation, called political indoctrination, is regarded as a primary duty of the State.