The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature: Volume 1: From Restoration to Occupation, 1868-1945 (Modern Asian Literature Series)

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.

From Tea Leaves to Opinion Polls

Politics & Social Sciences

Geer, John Gray

Social Sciences

Columbia Univ. Pr.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Geer, John Gray. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Geer, John Gray

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Geer, John Gray. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

From Tea Leaves to Opinion Polls