Public Opinion and Policy Representation: On Conceptualization, Measurement, and Interpretation

• Published in: Policy studies journal Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 561 - 582
• Main Author: Wlezien, Christopher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2017
• Subjects: Concept formation; Congruence; elections; inequality; Intellectuals; Measurement; Prospects; Public opinion; Public policy; Representation; Representations; representative democracy; responsiveness; Scholarship; Traditions

The congruence between public preferences and public policy is of special importance in representative democracies. We want to know whether the public is getting the policies it wants and, if not, whose preferences are being represented. To directly evaluate congruence, scholars need to measure what...