CHAPTER 5: PUBLIC OPINION

The purpose of this chapter is to explore what we mean by public opinion and to ask what sorts of effects public opinion has on our supposedly democratic form of government.

"of the people, by the people, for the people." Yet the federal government's budget is not balanced Yet the people have opposed busing Yet the ERA was not ratified Yet most Americans opposed President Clinton's impeachment Yet most Americans favor term limits for Congress

Government not intended to do "what the people want" –Framers of Constitution aimed for substantive goals –Popular rule was only one of several means toward these goals. –Large nations feature many "publics" with many "opinions." Framers hoped no single opinion would dominate Reasonable policies can command support of many factions

Theme A: Political Socialization 1.The Role of the Family 2.The Role of Religion 3.The gender gap 4.Schooling and Information

The role of the family Child absorbs party identification of family but becomes more independent with age Much continuity between generations Declining ability to pass on identification Younger voters exhibit less partisanship; more likely to be independent Meaning of partisanship unclear in most families; less influence on policy preferences Few families pass on clear ideologies

Religion Religious traditions affect families –Catholic families somewhat more liberal –Protestant families more conservative –Jewish families decidedly more liberal Two theories on differences –Social status of religious group –Content of religion's tradition

The gender gap A "problem" that has existed for a long time for both parties –Men and women both identified with the Democratic Party at about the same levels in the 1950s –By the 1990's men identified more with the Republican party while women continued to support the Democrats at earlier levels

Schooling and information College education has liberalizing effect; longer in college, more liberal Effect extends beyond end of college Cause of this liberalization? –Personal traits: temperament, family, intelligence –Exposure to information on politics –Liberalism of professors

Theme B: Group, Cleavage, Political Attitudes and Political Ideology 1.Social Class or Occupation 2.Race and Ethnicity 3.Region

Social class: less important in United States than in Europe More important in 1950s on unemployment, education, housing programs Less important in 1960s on poverty, health insurance, Vietnam, jobs Why the change? –Education: occupation depends more on schooling –Noneconomic issues now define liberal and conservative

Impact of race and ethnicity is less clear –Some clear difference in opinion (party identification, O.J. Simpson, criminal justice system, affirmative action) –Some similarities (quotas, getting tough on crime, abortion, etc.) –Evidence that the gap in opinions is narrowing

Region Southerners more conservative than northerners on military and civil rights issues but difference fading overall Southern lifestyle different Lessening attachment to Democratic party

Ideology: patterned set of political beliefs about who ought to rule, their principles and policies Most citizens display little ideology; moderates dominate

What do liberalism and conservatism mean? Liberal and conservative labels have complex history –Europe during French Revolution: conservative = church, state authority –Roosevelt and New Deal: activism = liberalism –Conservative reaction to activism (Goldwater): free market, states' rights, economic choice –Today's imprecise and changing meanings

Three useful categories emerge from studies –Economic policy: liberals favor jobs for all, subsidized medical care and education, taxation of rich –Civil rights: liberals prefer desegregation, equal opportunity, etc. –Public and political conduct: liberals tolerant of demonstrations, favor legalization of marijuana, and so on

Theme C:Ideology and Public Opinion Polling 1.Pure Liberal ‑ liberal on economic and personal conduct issues. 2.Conservative ‑ conservative on economic and personal conduct issues.

3.Libertarians ‑ conservative on economics, liberal on personal conduct issues. 4. Populists ‑ liberal on economics, conservative on personal conduct issues.

Neoliberalism – A New Class Instead of assigning priority to equality and freedom, neoliberalism focuses on producing new wealth through high technology -- those who are advantaged by the power, resources, and growth of government (not business)

Two explanations of well-off individuals who are liberals –Their direct benefits from government –Liberal ideology infusing postgraduate education

See Critical Thinking “Public Opinion on Abortion: Liberal, Conservative or Neither?” and “Public Opinion on Homosexuality: Liberal, Conservative or Neither?”

The Art of Public Opinion Polling 1.Random Sample 2.Comprehensible Questions - people make up answers when they do not understand or actually have no opinion. 3.Fair Questions - no loaded language 4.Fair Answer Question Categories 5. Don’t forget sampling error.

A classic example of how not to handle survey research was the Literary Digest poll of 1936.

Trends Probably Tell Us the Most About Political Attitude Look at Polls Across A Period of Time What Appears to Be Happening?

Theme D: Do Elites Control Opinion and Public Policy Elite theorists argue that mass opinion is largely inconsequential in the ultimate shaping of political policy. Rather, it is the thin strata of the politically informed and active through which policy agendas and norms are established.

Yes and No –Elites influence public opinion in three ways Raise and form political issues State norms by which to settle issues, defining policy options Elite views shape mass views –Limits to elite influence on the public Elites do not define problems Many elites exist; hence many elite opinions

Politically Speaking ‑ Ideology You Versus Your Enemies

The Party Identification of Men and Women: Source: Karen M. Kaufman and John R. Petrocik, “ The Changing Politics of American Men: Understanding the Sources of the Gender Gap,” American Journal of Political Science 43 (1999):

For more information and to view current political polling data link to the Metropolitan Community College Political Science Web Site main.htm Click on Polls

Major Polling Sites

Self-Test