Public opinion : democratic ideals, democratic practice /

This is a well-written, comprehensive survey of critical public opinion research woven together through the analysis of important democratic themes and theoretical questions. This book defends the central premise that democracy should be citizen driven, but the empirical picture is mixed. Citizens claim support for democratic ideals and civil liberties in the abstract but often do not actually support them under specific conditions. The current relationship between Americans and their government is precarious. Levels of trust in government are near historic lows, although the public still claims to support the basic institutions of government. Public policy is only occasionally consistent with public preferences, and media performance in educating the public is weak. The balance of power in the US is contested between economic elites and the general public, and overall evidence suggests that the elites win most often. This timely book should serve as a standard text for students of public opinion at the undergraduate college level. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. --Richard J. Gelm, University of La Verne