Taken from his 1922 book, titled Public Opinion, The Image of democracy start by Lippman questioning why there are no records in form of literature on public opinion, where else, literature on government and political parties are literally scattered everywhere. He is of the opinion that America political writers and the political class deliberately blocks public opinion to serve their own interests; “The existence of a force called public opinion is in the main taken for granted, and American political writer have been more interested in finding out how to make government express the common will…”
Lippmann goes on to answer the question which he had posed to the reader, he talks of the quality of the public opinion been low, personal opinion could not be taken as the whole society opinion. He feels a personal opinion may be aimed to serve his self-interest, flawed and “not based on the exact record, measurement, analysis, and comparison……therefore, unless there is in the community at large ….” He is of the opinion that the only valid opinion would be from the whole community as whole but not individuals.
Lippmann then takes us back in the eighteenth century, on how past leaders perceived public opinion, he still find the problem has existed in past society, where leaders were “low fellows or as a problem, not as possessors of the most effective knowledge there was on how to create and operate public opinion” the leadership back then was of the opinion that for public opinion to be valid, it had to be spontaneous and the leaders themselves were felt threatened by public opinion.
On leadership, the public opinion was very unanimous that leaders were born, but they were so divided when it came to choosing the right person “whom political wisdom was innate” Lippman gives an example of a great leader like Jefferson who was strongly convinced that farmer and planters had been instilled with leadership skills from God. Lippmann then continues to describe a society that is content with few individuals or a certain class of people, who the society felt reserved the right to make an opinion.
What of those who dare rise above the social norm of conformity? A classic example is Machiavelli, “……….the classic of this school, a man most mercilessly maligned, because he happened to be the first naturalist…” in bringing Machiavelli, Lippmann paint a picture of a rigid leadership, so content with the traditions that anyone trying to raise his opinion is met with a lot of opposition, Lippman continues to describe Machiavelli treatment by the society “……because he happened to be the first naturalist who used plain language in a field hitherto preempted by supernaturalist. He has a worse name and more disciples than any political thinker who ever lived.”
On democracy, Lippmann depicts a picture where the basis of democracy is based on political elites but not on the reality on the ground, “the democratic ideal, as Jefferson molded it, consisting of an ideal environment and a selected class, did not conflict with the political science of his time. It did conflict with the realities” in other words, the political agenda was not intended to serve the masses, but a few influential individuals.
The people, though they might feel that their opinion is not sought by the few influential individuals on an issue related to democracy, they are forced, by the same system to stick to it. Lippmann gives an example of the mirror being concave in describing the democrats stand “……and although democrats recognize that they are in contact with external affairs, they see quite sure that every contact outside that self-contained group is a threat to democracy” The democrats can not raise a voice, ironically to preserve democracy.
Lippmann depicts a society in war with itself, a war that can not be fought. Where instead of confronting the reality, the democrat “went passionately into the wilderness, and founded utopian communities…..” a place of comfort and fulfillment, a place that indeed doesn’t exist. Lippmann further adds a twist to this situation by letting the reader know that it’s not that people don’t know their rights, “……..the democrats had caught sight of a dazzling possibility, that every human being should rise to his full stature, free from man-made limitations” but even with all these knowledge, they are strongly convinced that the well being of their society depends on their sticking to the system.
The writer describes the thought pattern of the people, people whose picture of the reality comes from what has been passed and coined to them by their teachers and parents “….and were little corrected by their own experience” they are not willing to open up their eyes to new possibilities.
The writer has succeeded in his effort in giving the true picture of the people’s unwillingness to confront the systems and leadership, where public opinion is left to the political class and the leadership of a chosen few. A society where those who try to raise their voice are met with stiff opposition.
Reference
Walter Lippmann (1952) Public Opinion, Green-Wood Publish Group, New York.