Review of Public opinion

Abstract

Reviews the book, Public opinion by Walter Lippman (1922). The thesis of this book is that the public, by which is meant the American citizenry, in order to govern themselves wisely, should be furnished with information about public questions. The author laments the fact that such government research agencies as have operated, especially those that operated during the war, have not fulfilled their mission. The obstacles in the way of this are multitudinous requiring almost the entire 427 pages of the book for their recital. The author describes the mechanism that he recommends for the amelioration of the ills under which public opinion and public action are now suffering. The first part of the book he pleads for enlightment of the whole citizenery, in the latter portion he apparently becomes frightened at the stupendousness of the undertaking and uses his panacea for a different end--the enlightment of a selected few. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)