Opinion Polls

The formal academic study of public opinion is relatively new but the practical study of public opinion is not new at all. Opinion polling is a method of analysis for drawing inferences about the attitudes or behaviors of a population by studying a random sample of persons from that population. Public opinion can play a critical role in political and electoral development in a country and research in this area highlights the complex collection of opinions that impact the political process. Even the most oppressive tyrants need to know what the people are thinking, even if just to oppress them more effectively. “Governments must concern themselves with the opinions of their citizens, if only to provide a basis for repression of disaffection.”

Not all governments need to hire secret police or wait for peasant rebellions to learn about public opinion. Democratic governments, especially, have much better procedures to learn about public opinion and measure it. Blue Gate Research Institute explores ways that governments can learn about, and act on, their citizens’ opinions. We use opinion polls to identify issues for resolution, brings views into political debate, helps choose the political candidates, gives feedback to politicians, influences public policy and gives policymakers some idea of what the voters want.