The Measure of Democracy

Description

Politicians, government officials, and public relations officers lean heavily on polling when fashioning public policy. Proponents say this is for the best, arguing that surveys bring the views of citizens closer to civic officials. Critics decry polling's promotion of sycophantic politicians who pander to the whims of public sentiment, or, conversely, the use of surveys by special interest groups to thwart the majority will. Similar claims and criticisms were made during the early days of polling. When George Gallup began polling Americans in 1935, he heralded it as a bold step in popular democracy. The views of ordinary citizens could now be heard alongside those of organized interest groups. Examining the origins and early years of public opinion polling in Canada, Robinson situates polling within the larger context of its forerunners - market research surveys and American opinion polling - and charts its growth until its first uses by political parties.

First Sentence

The 1940 release of the polling classic The Pulse of Democracy was a milestone for both its authors.

Subjects

Other Editions

• The Measure of Democracy: Polling, Market Research, and Public Life, 1930-1945HardcoverUniversity of Toronto Press1999-04-24
• The Measure of DemocracyPaperbackUniversity of Toronto Press1999-04-24