Public Opinion
Public opinion is an accumulation of desires, attitudes and beliefs of all the individuals who constitute what we know as ‘public’. The present day definition of public opinion started developing with the changes that took place after Industrialization and resulting Urbanization in the world, which forced a change in political and social spheres. As a result, the concept of “public” came into being. However, it would be wrong to say that the concept of public opinion is few-centuries old. In the Ancient Greece, the public rhetoric was referred as public opinion. And this idea continued though with much increased force and importance in Eighteen-Century Europe where, public discourse taking place in pubs, salons, and coffee houses formed the public opinion.
However, with the development of George Gallup’s modern polling techniques and methods, public opinion, today, mainly refers to the outcome of polling results. It is believed that the public opinion, which is the most important desires and beliefs of majority of people, is reflected through polling results. However, American sociologist Herbert Blumer disagreed with the idea. (more…)
