An Essay on Public Opinion

In a democratic country public opinion is of the highest importance. Democracy has been defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Hence the views of the people on various issues play a crucial role in determining the nature of government. The people express their views through the ballot box. They elect their representatives which form the government and they continue to be their leaders and rulers so long as they enjoy their confidence, and public opinion as expressed through the press, the radio and the television, favors and supports them.

The people get the kind of government they desire. If public opinion is enlightened and well-informed regarding the current issues and problems, the government would also be efficient and progressive. Public opinion plays a crucial role in a democracy. In a number of western countries, there are gallop polls from time to time to know the opinion of the people on important issues facing the nation. If the government loses the confidence of the people, it has to resign and fresh elections are held.

Thus public opinion plays a decisive role in determining the fate of the government. but public opinion is not always reliable. The people in general are fickle, ignorant and are usually moved by their feeling and not by their power of reasoning. They lack the power of logical thinking. Hence it was that Aristotle, the well-known Greek philosopher, referred to “democracy” as “monocracy”. Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar has clearly demonstrated that the people are fickle, inconstant and highly unreliable. They are generally with the last speaker .first, they are with Brutus and then with Antony who addresses them after Brutus. They fail to understand the principle for which Caesar was killed and so want to make Brutus and Caesar. The opinion of such people cannot be relied upon. Therefore, for the success of democracy it is essential that people are enlightened and well-informed. They should...