Speier definition of public opinion
Public opinion according to Speier refers to primarily the communication from citizens to their government, which means that public opinion describes the information that is revealed to, or noted to others. Public opinion may also be used to denote communication between and among citizens. Public opinion is available in democratic governments since dictatorial governments have no time and space for the public since the people in authority believes that their say is final. In that case, private or clandestine opinions exist, which may be defined as the opinions which are concealed from other persons. Some governments appear ingenious to demonstrate to how democratic they appear by permitting public opinion which is usually suppressed. Availability of information and ease of access to information is a necessary condition for public opinion to function, which means that public opinion and the government should keep their actions in the limelight (Speier, 1950).
Holders of reasonable opinions according to earlier writers
Before the French uprising happened, authors believed that the masses in general were undependable because of prejudice, superstition and excess passion. Earlier writers considered like Shakespeare considered the successful people in life to hold public opinion. For instance, Shakespeare regarded opinion a mistress of success while Pascal considered public opinion as the empress of the creation. Deductively, one may consider public opinion as a preserve of the few. William temple observed that public opinion designate opinions critical of authority, which is more often cheated and mistaken. Rousseau equated public opinion with eternal truths of morality noting that for the government to give laws to a people must understand how to sway the opinions and passions of men in order to govern them. Reasonable opinion was seen as being related to imaginations and passions rather than knowledge and intelligence as Jacques Necker popularized the notion of public opinion on the eve of the French revolution noting that hope and imagination were the precious precursors of the opinions of men (Speier, 1950).
Public opinion as the middle-class civilization phenomenon
Speier means that people who have advanced their social and economic positions in society are reasonable enough to understand when economic and social inequalities are rising or reducing. They middle-class multitudes know well when it can tolerate the elements of economic and social inequalities. If it is unwilling to put up with the rising inequalities, it makes concessions with the government, indicating what the government should (public opinion). People of low middle class might be too preoccupied with endeavors of looking for their daily bread to realize the changing nature of economic or social inequalities.
Learning of the current affairs by the middle class The formation of broader literary public such as the transformed musical life where anonymous audience could pay admission fees to get admission to the public concerts helped people belonging to the middle class to know about the recent occurrences. The growth of communal establishments like the reading clubs and reading societies helped in the expansion of reading to the public. London was the first city to have a circulating library and later established secondhand bookstores. Among the reading matters that emerged were political journals and scholarly magazines that may be regarded as the shared supporters of the ethical publications that enhanced the vocalization of middle class view on aspects of ethical concern. Coffee-house in England, as well as salons in France led to the development of public opinion as they acted as hubs for gathering news and disseminating such news to inform political discussion.
Public opinion according to Speier refers to primarily the communication from citizens to their government, which means that public opinion describes the information that is revealed to, or noted to others. Public opinion may also be used to denote communication between and among citizens. Public opinion is available in democratic governments since dictatorial governments have no time and space for the public since the people in authority believes that their say is final. In that case, private or clandestine opinions exist, which may be defined as the opinions which are concealed from other persons. Some governments appear ingenious to demonstrate to how democratic they appear by permitting public opinion which is usually suppressed. Availability of information and ease of access to information is a necessary condition for public opinion to function, which means that public opinion and the government should keep their actions in the limelight (Speier, 1950).
Holders of reasonable opinions according to earlier writers
Before the French uprising happened, authors believed that the masses in general were undependable because of prejudice, superstition and excess passion. Earlier writers considered like Shakespeare considered the successful people in life to hold public opinion. For instance, Shakespeare regarded opinion a mistress of success while Pascal considered public opinion as the empress of the creation. Deductively, one may consider public opinion as a preserve of the few. William temple observed that public opinion designate opinions critical of authority, which is more often cheated and mistaken. Rousseau equated public opinion with eternal truths of morality noting that for the government to give laws to a people must understand how to sway the opinions and passions of men in order to govern them. Reasonable opinion was seen as being related to imaginations and passions rather than knowledge and intelligence as Jacques Necker popularized the notion of public opinion on the eve of the French revolution noting that hope and imagination were the precious precursors of the opinions of men (Speier, 1950).
Public opinion as the middle-class civilization phenomenon
Speier means that people who have advanced their social and economic positions in society are reasonable enough to understand when economic and social inequalities are rising or reducing. They middle-class multitudes know well when it can tolerate the elements of economic and social inequalities. If it is unwilling to put up with the rising inequalities, it makes concessions with the government, indicating what the government should (public opinion). People of low middle class might be too preoccupied with endeavors of looking for their daily bread to realize the changing nature of economic or social inequalities.
Learning of the current affairs by the middle class The formation of broader literary public such as the transformed musical life where anonymous audience could pay admission fees to get admission to the public concerts helped people belonging to the middle class to know about the recent occurrences. The growth of communal establishments like the reading clubs and reading societies helped in the expansion of reading to the public. London was the first city to have a circulating library and later established secondhand bookstores. Among the reading matters that emerged were political journals and scholarly magazines that may be regarded as the shared supporters of the ethical publications that enhanced the vocalization of middle class view on aspects of ethical concern. Coffee-house in England, as well as salons in France led to the development of public opinion as they acted as hubs for gathering news and disseminating such news to inform political discussion.
