Gabriel Almond was an influential American political scientist known for his work in comparative politics and political culture. He was born on January 12, 1911, and passed away on December 25, 2002. Almond is best known for his contributions to the study of democracy and the role of political systems in shaping citizen behavior. One of his significant theories is the civic culture, which emphasizes the importance of a balanced political culture for the stability of democracies. Almond also collaborated with Sidney Verba on the book "The Civic Culture," which explored how different political cultures affect democratic governance across various countries.