Public Opinion Analysis

The onset of democracy led to people start to publicly question the actions of governments and demanded inclusion of their voice in the running of the affairs of the governments. What the public wants translates into public opinion. In a democracy, stakeholders such as journalists, public office holders, ordinary citizens and the corporate executives need to know the sorts of initiatives and policies the public holds and supports.

Public opinion is not exclusive to government affairs but the society as a whole. It is the evaluation that is collectively expressed by the people on political and social issues, individuals and institutions and is characterized by the representation of only one dominant opinion in a sea of many possible ones. Public

It is largely influenced by the mass media for example the talk shows on television and radio, and the social media sites have generated crucial for a for political discussions with eventual effects on political outcomes. It is also influenced by the elite opinion leaders who have access to media outlets and technologies and exert a greater social influence and institutional power. The most common indicators of public opinion include the vote tally after elections and referenda, and the opinion poll. They try to reveal people’s preferences as well as how they feel about lifestyle, policy issues, and social practices.

The concept of public opinion is complicated by the influence of perception in that people tend to give their opinions when they find that such opinion prevails among other people but maintain their silence when they find that no one holds the same view as them. This is based on the assumption that people fear isolation because the society may use that isolation to punish them for their unpopular opinions. Some people may see their opinions as being more appropriate and superior regardless of the actual views of others. Such opinions are formed on false

Popular issues may also be influenced by opinion leaders through turning an unpopular issue into a national one by use of catch phrases and symbols. Opinion leaders may be members of the social environment. The interest groups and opinion leaders strongly rely on the media to influence the opinions of the people.

The role of public opinion is dependent on the issue and does not dictate the details of government policies but rather sets the boundaries for policy makers to operate on. The policy makers will engage in satisfying a widespread demand while at the same time avoiding decisions that may prove to be unpopular. Thus public opinion is very influential in the American democracy due to its latency. For example government officials who fail to put in mind the probable effects of latent public opinion risk losing their