The Rational Public: Fifty Years of Trends in Americans' Policy Preferences (American Politics and Political Economy Series)

This monumental study is a comprehensive critical survey ofthe policy preferences of the American public, and will bethe definitive work on American public opinion for some timeto come. Drawing on an enormous body of public opinion data,Benjamin I. Page and Robert Y. Shapiro provide the richestavailable portrait of the political views of Americans, fromthe 1930's to 1990. They not only cover all types ofdomestic and foreign policy issues, but also consider howopinions vary by age, gender, race, region, and the like.The authors unequivocally demonstrate that, notwithstanding fluctuations in the opinions of individuals,collective public opinion is remarkably coherent: itreflects a stable system of values shared by the majority ofAmericans and it responds sensitively to new events,arguments, and information reported in the mass media. Whiledocumenting some alarming case of manipulation, Page andShapiro solidly establish the soundness and value ofcollective political opinion. The Rational Publicprovides a wealth of information about what we as a nationhave wanted from government, how we have changed our mindsover the years, and why.For anyone interested in the short- and long-term trendsin Americans' policy preferences, or eager to learn whatAmericans have thought about issues ranging from racialequality to the MX missile, welfare to abortion, this bookoffers by far the most sophisticated and detailed treatmentavailable.