Public Opinion and Foreign Policy - Essay Example

The questionnaires are sent to respondents by mail and received by mail. This method is no more in popular practice. Online survey This has become one of the most popular methods of conducting opinion polls of burning issues and public policies. Online surveys are sent either through email or come upon surfing sites which are often answered if they are issues that are important or interesting.

The huge data collected on online surveys help generate more accurate results. Mall intercept survey In this method, people are requested to fill in questionnaires or ask questionnaires verbally while they are shopping in malls or streets. This is also quite successful as short questionnaires are answered and one gets quite a large sample. In-home House calls are made for opinion surveys and questionnaires are answered in a relatively relaxed environment of the home. Due to increasing cost, it is no more very popular.

But in important public policy issues, this method becomes more reliable. Part 2 Politicians should be very responsive to public opinion as they are representative of people and primarily represent their interest in the government. But it is also very controversial because public opinion can also be very emotive and may be manipulated by vested interests (Foyle, 1999). But at the same time, it is also true that public opinion, when represented by a large sample, is distinct in its trend and therefore must be treated seriously, especially as a reciprocal relationship that highlights democratic values.

In a democratic state, people’s power is centric on all decision-making processes, within and outside the government, for all welfare programs and policies for the wider development issues like socio-economic issues, energy, infrastructure, healthcare etc. Very often, opinion polls become important tools that influence politicians’ stand on vital issues to win the trust of people, whom they represent or want to gain the confidence of. The polls should dictate war policies because, in recent times, large public money has been diverted to the war where major interests of the nation were not involved.

Iraq War, Vietnam War etc were long drawn where a huge amount of money was used. Hence, all the actions of the government where public money is involved must be influenced by the opinion polls. The war policies of government are critical issues that have a direct impact on the wider welfare of people. As such, war policies must be dictated by the larger interests of the population.