Public Opinion, Policies, and Responsiveness

Abstract

The link between citizens and their elected representatives is a central component of the democratic representation process (e.g. Dalton 2008). The idea underlying democratic functioning is that citizens have the power to control or influence policy-makers so that their preferences find way in policy-making (Powell 2000). At the same time, the link between citizens and parties can be realized through elites influencing public opinion (see also Mansbridge 2003). Scholars of public opinion have documented on numerous occasions the influence elites can have on voters through cueing (e.g. Zaller 1992), and institutional factors may further influence public views. This panel focuses broadly on the link between public opinion and parties/elites/government, and on the issue of representation/ responsiveness. It features five papers that bring new insights into these processes. One of the papers is a comparative study that assesses the impact of the quality of representation on the relationship between economic inequality and redistribution. A second paper examines public opinion toward policy compromises by government coalition members and how it is shaped by institutional contexts. The third one exploits social media data regarding candidates’ campaign strategies to gauge how candidates present themselves during campaigns and how voters respond. The fourth contribution delves into how cross-pressured voters form opinions when the party cues they receive are incongruent with values and predispositions corresponding to their education level. Finally, one paper looks at how vote for right-wing Eurosceptic parties relates to voters’ attitudes toward neoliberal policies and how parties’ positions on welfare and the economic crisis moderate this relation. By focusing on the various dimensions of the linkage between citizens and their representatives, this panel underscores the multifaceted nature of this process and of the factors that influence it. References Dalton, R.J. (2008). Citizen politics: public opinion and political parties in advanced industrial democracies. 5th ed. Washington D.C.: CQPress. Mansbridge, J. (2003). Rethinking Representation. The American Political Science Review, 97(4): 515–528. Powell, G.B. (2000). Elections as Instruments of Democracy: Majoritarian and Proportional Visions. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Zaller, J.R. (1992). The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.