Agencies for the Formation of Public Opinion

Opinions on political matters are slowly formed. The common people, as Bryce pointed out, have
hardly any interest in the affairs of the state. Some agencies are needed to excite them. Of these
agencies, the following are of special importance;

1. Press
For the facts relevant to the formation of public opinion, almost everyone has to depend on the
newspaper. As the newspapers are available at a very cheap price, their influence in moulding
opinion, with the spread of mass education, has increased by leaps and bounds. Most of the
newspapers publish the details of legislative debates, speeches of eminent personalities,
announcements of governments and parties and various other news. Not all of them are political;
but still political facts are certainly the best for consumption. So, every newspaper takes pains to
collect political news and make delicious dishes out of them. The representation of facts is not
the only function; their interpretation and systematization into a particular view point are also
undertaken by the newspapers. Almost every paper has 'a tendency and dogma'. These are
highlighted in the editorial columns. Even the manner of news flashing in headlines or elsewhere
on the columns betrays the peculiar character of a newspaper. The readers avidly read the news
and come to align themselves with a particular paper. Grievances are ventilated and views
expressed by the public through the newspapers. For this purpose most papers earmark a few
columns for its general readers. The news and views do not always go unheeded. The
government takes note of them and carefully studies pubic reaction against its measures through
the mirror of the newspapers play a vital part.

The press is, however, not immune from defects. In fact, it is frequently observed that now-a-
days the newspapers have only one function. They are engaged in the ceaseless task of holding
a particular type of readers on whom they are dependent for patronage. All possible ways and
means are adopted to win the favour of the readers. Thus, every newspaper creates its own
devotes who worship it on the supposed belief that it delivers the goods for them. Another
significant criticism leveled against the newspapers is that their publishing has become big
business; and they are mostly owned and controlled by the 'capitalist class,' the manifestation of
an 'uneasy relation between big business and democracy itself. As finer points out, "the amount
of objectively true information and balanced opinion is, on the whole, small, and the press has
acquired an extraordinary dominance over opinion, aggravating rather than correcting its
defects".
A free press is certainly an indispensable agency fro the formulation of public opinion and
maintenance of democracy. But as it ceases to become an open forum fro the ventilation of all
shades of opinion and is transformed into a tool of big business, it spells real danger. The
remedy However, does not lie in governmental interference. For, as sorry rightly observes, " to
give a government agency power to censor fact and opinion would draw all the power hungry
elements in the community into a struggle to get control of the government. Democracy needs
press, but it cannot be found through governmental regulation of the press." That, is fact, would
pave the way for the rise of dictatorship. Hence, the solution, if any, can only be found in the
inculcation of sound education that will enable the people to select the goods and reject the bad.

2. Cinema And Radio

For communicating ideas the motion picture and the radio are important agencies. Only educated
people may be influenced by the newspapers. But, owing to the audio-visual method the cinema
and the radio can influence even the illiterate. In the developing countries such as India where
illiteracy is widespread, these media are very helpful in spreading mass education. Their
potentialities are, however, not fully tapped. The cinema, for instance, has remained almost
exclusively a means of entertainment. As it is privately owned, it usually serves commercial
rather than educational purposes. Still, however, with the production of good documentaries and
other educational films, the cinema may well be used as a means of education and opinion-
formation.

The radio, too, is primarily concerned with the function of entertainment. Yet, it is a valuable aid
to dissemination of information and formulation of opinion. "some observers have even gone so
far as to suggest that radio has re-established that direct contact between political leaders and
followers that characteristics Athenian democracy. In most countries as India the radio is
however, under government control. Hence, it has frequently been criticized that the radio has
served only the party in power. But, as finer points out, "on the whole, no country - whether, as in
England, broadcasting by private enterprise, is really exploiting the educative potentialities of
radio on the grand scale which is possible."

3. Political Parties
The most important agency for opinion formation is the political parties. To use Lowell's oft-
quoted phrase, parties are brokers of ideas. Day in and day out they feed the people with the
facts and ideas. Their sole purpose is to rally the people to their side. For, they want to get the
majority in the legislature and hold the reins of government. Accordingly, parties 'arrange the
issue upon which the people are to vote.' Canvass their point of view, nurse the constituencies,
and set up candidates. The people farm the back bone of democracy. The valuable service
rendered by parties is that they organize the people and amble them to choose between
alternatives. Various indictments have been made against political parties. Their honesty and
utility have often been questioned. Still, without them public opinion, which is the prime mover
representative democracy, can never be formulated and put to its proper use.

4. Platform.
For educating people and formulating opinion platform speeches are very useful means. Hence,
every democratic government guarantees the right to freedom of assembly. The speeches
delivered in public gathering sometimes leave indelible impression in the minds of the listeners.
All sorts of oratorical skills are employed to influence the public mind. A Brututs may win
temporary admiration, and an Antony, a durable fame. Nevertheless, eminent political leaders do
set in motion the process of public thinking on important political issues.

5. Educational Institutions
In the creation of public opinion the educational institutions are of considerable importance. The
way in which students are trained up in schools, collages and universities greatly influences the
future course of their life. The ideas developed in the early ages condition a student's outlook.
These educations are intended to stimulate and increase curiosity. But a method of education
that robs students of their open mindedness and drugs them with the number of political half-
truths is certainly injurious.

There is a close relationship between law and public opinion. Laws, in

Democracy, are deep-rooted in public opinion. In these days of Democracy
the most important source of law is legislature, a body of people’s
representatives. This body represents the public will.
It is true, that the people do not frame the laws directly but we should not
forget that they elect their representatives to the legislature. Their
representative should not, and do not go against the will of the people who
are the electors.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

When the people or electors want certain laws to be replaced or modifiers,

their representatives do the needful. It is quite clear in this way that there is
a close affinity between public opinion and law because laws represent the
will of the people. Laws are supposed by public opinion.

Laws which are supported by public opinion are not effective and are hardly
obeyed by the people. For example, after Chinese aggression on India in
1962, the Government of India framed two laws: Compulsory Deposit
Scheme and Gold Control Rules. Unfortunately, these laws were not
supported by public opinion.

As a result, people carried out demonstrations against these laws. In the

end, the Government of India ad to modify these laws. This makes it very
clear that in Democracy only those laws are framed which are supported by
public opinion. If such laws are not framed people reserve the right to carry
out peaceful demonstrations.

Thus, it is quite clear that there is a close affinity between law and public
opinion. Before arriving at any conclusion it would be better for us to
ponder over the term public opinion. By public opinion, we mean an opinion
held by people for the common welfare. “In any community of men that
which has assured the character of public opinion is the Who opinion of all
its members but only of those persons, few or many who are led to think
and to form judgment regarding matters of general interest”.

Thus social good and common welfare of the people are the primary
considerations of public opinion and law reflects them. According to P S.
Mathur, “Law should be not firmly rooted in public opinion but should be a
little ahead of it”.
Role of public opinion on judgments

Public opinion means the thoughts and views of the public on a particular issue. Each
and every citizen has the right to express their views about any issue which is related
to them by their aspect the public opinion is not only restricted to political issues but
also on social kinds of issues.

Without the views of the public, a frequent social decision cannot be taken. It consists
of desires, wants and thinking of the majority of people it is the collective opinion of
the people of a society or state on an issue or problem.

Contrasting understandings of public opinion have taken shape over the centuries,
especially as new methods of measuring public opinion have been applied to politics,
commerce, religion, and social activism.

Public opinion is important in a democracy because without the opinion of public the
government cannot decide how to act on public issues most of the issues in a country
are related to public and makes sense to take public opinion when we talk about public
opinion the first thing which comes to our mind is public people and how they speak
the speaking of public is very much important.