From tea leaves to opinion polls : a theory of democratic leadership
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
From tea leaves to opinion polls : a theory of democratic leadership
（Power, conflict, and democracy : American politics into the twenty-first century）
Columbia University Press, c1996
- : cloth
- : pbk
Available at 10 libraries
Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. [199]-217) and index
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9780231102797
Description
The first in-depth analysis of the link between politicians' behavior and opinion polls. Exploring political action within a broad historical context, the book develops a theory to show how the behavior of politicians, and the unfolding of political change, have been irrevocably altered since the advent of opinion polling in the 1930s.
- Volume
-
: cloth ISBN 9780231102803
Description
Do politicians lead public life or follow it? Does the nature of representative democracy dictate that those in power respond to popular sentiment? And if public opinion is central to political action, what does it mean for a politician to lead? This book aims to answer these and other fundamental questions on leadership and followership. The author develops an explicit theory to show how the behaviour of politicians, and the unfolding of political change, have been irrevocably altered since the advent of opinion polling in the 1930s. Employing a rational actor perspective, he explores how well-informed politicians behave with marked differences from those who are poorly informed on public opinion. The book describes how well-informed politicians armed with opinion polls are able to isolate and marginalize the "hot-button" issues, locating a position that will augment their support. The result is the erasure of many significant differences between candidates, with political leadership only displayed on less pressing concerns.
by "Nielsen BookData"