The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between political education and social studies curriculum and the political orientations of students in the United States, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and England. A review of psychological research indicates that conventional, or comformist moral and legal orientations develop early in life, are universally modal, and typically persist. Traditional schooling does not attempt to facilitate development of a more autonomous orientation. Three dimensions of political orientation are presented as being parallel to moral and legal orientations and their developmental stages: efficacy, legitamacy, and dissent. The study is based on 1968-69 test results of an average of 355 9-20 year old students in each country. Exposure to formal political education and social studies subjects are the independent variables. It is tentatively concluded that the courses, in general, have a meager effect on political orientation. And, the course content is redundant because it does not present the student with stimuli sufficiently different from what he has received earlier in life. (Author/DJB)