Tuesday, April 15, 2008

American Public Opinion and Government Stability

Public opinion both shapes and is shaped by American government policy. Five characteristics of public opinion help explain how this symbiosis contributes to stability (Janda, Berry, & Goldman, 1995): (1) Public opinion about policy can change over time; (2) Public opinion defines the contours of acceptable public policy; (3) Public opinion embodies inaccurate views because citizens are willing to provide opinions to pollsters on unfamiliar subjects; (4) Government tends to respond to public opinion; (5) Government policy does not always immediately reflect public opinion. In sum, while government does not always do exactly what the population says it wants, it does listen to public opinion and adjusts policymaking efforts accordingly over time, when practicable.

Reference

Janda, K., Berry, J.M., & Goldman, J. (1995) The challenge of democracy: Government in America, (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.