Public Opinion and the Classical Tradition

The speculative approach to public opinion characteristic of the last century and the current empirical approach may be seen as supplementary rather than antithetical. Modern research techniques can confirm and develop notions advanced by classical writers, while authors such as Dicey and Bryce can help direct present-day researchers to significant problems and suggest new ways of analyzing empirical data. Merging of the two approaches will hasten the development of a more adequate theory of public opinion.