Public opinion and opinion polling: Contradictions and controversies

Abstract

Many philosophers have discussed the nature of human opinions at least since Ancient Greece, but the concept of ‘public opinion’ was not in use until the eighteenth century. It was missing despite the fact that the processes and phenomena that are at least related to, if not constitutive of, public opinion - judging by the historical records - clearly existed, such as narratives about the rulers who have, disguised as ordinary people, mingled with the crowd to hear what people think about their government.