It may be that liberal cultures tend to discourage certain forms of political partici- pation as compared with more communitarian cultures. Liberal polities do not merely permit their citizens to retreat into their private pur- suits if they wish; liberal ideology, as we have seen, affirmatively valorizes the privatization of personality, commitment, and activity. Lib- eral market economies, moreover, facilitate the pursuit of wealth and the indulgence of material pleasures. This not only leaves less time available for politics and other public- regarding activities but also diminishes the social prestige that such activities enjoy rela- tive to wealth-seeking and consumption.