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Opinion–Policy Dynamics: Public Preferences and Public Expenditure in the United Kingdom

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  • SOROKA, STUART N.
  • WLEZIEN, CHRISTOPHER

Abstract

Work exploring the relationship between public opinion and public policy over time has largely been restricted to the United States. A wider application of this line of research can provide insights into how representation varies across political systems, however. This article takes a first step in this direction using a new body of data on public opinion and government spending in Britain. The results of analyses reveal that the British public appears to notice and respond (thermostatically) to changes in public spending in particular domains, perhaps even more so than in the United States. They also reveal that British policymakers represent these preferences in spending, though the magnitude and structure of this response is less pronounced and more general. The findings are suggestive about the structuring role of institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Soroka, Stuart N. & Wlezien, Christopher, 2005. "Opinion–Policy Dynamics: Public Preferences and Public Expenditure in the United Kingdom," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 35(4), pages 665-689, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:35:y:2005:i:04:p:665-689_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Armèn Hakhverdian, 2009. "Capturing Government Policy on the Left–Right Scale: Evidence from the United Kingdom, 1956–2006," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 57(4), pages 720-745, December.
    2. Christopher Deeming & Ron Johnston, 2018. "Coming together in a rightward direction: post-1980s changing attitudes to the British welfare state," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 395-413, January.
    3. Contandriopoulos, Damien & Brousselle, Astrid & Larouche, Catherine & Breton, Mylaine & Rivard, Michèle & Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique & Haggerty, Jeannie & Champagne, Geneviève & Perroux, Mélanie, 2018. "Healthcare reforms, inertia polarization and group influence," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(9), pages 1018-1027.
    4. Henrik Serup Christensen & Lauri Rapeli, 2021. "Immediate rewards or delayed gratification? A conjoint survey experiment of the public’s policy preferences," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 54(1), pages 63-94, March.
    5. Jørgen Bølstad, 2015. "Dynamics of European integration: Public opinion in the core and periphery," European Union Politics, , vol. 16(1), pages 23-44, March.
    6. Christopher J Williams, 2016. "Issuing reasoned opinions: The effect of public attitudes towards the European Union on the usage of the 'Early Warning System'," European Union Politics, , vol. 17(3), pages 504-521, September.
    7. James Tilley & Christopher Wlezien, 2008. "Does Political Information Matter? An Experimental Test Relating to Party Positions on Europe," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 192-214, March.
    8. Contandriopoulos, Damien & Bilodeau, Henriette, 2009. "The political use of poll results about public support for a privatized healthcare system in Canada," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 104-112, April.
    9. Marx, Paul & Schumacher, Gijs, 2014. "The Effect of Economic Change and Elite Framing on Economic Preferences: A Survey Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 7979, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Meng, Tianguang & Su, Zheng, 2021. "When top-down meets bottom-up: Local officials and selective responsiveness within fiscal policymaking in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    11. Arnesen, Sveinung, 2012. "Forecasting Norwegian elections: Out of work and out of office," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 789-796.
    12. Sabine Saurugger & Fabien Terpan, 2016. "Do crises lead to policy change? The multiple streams framework and the European Union’s economic governance instruments," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 49(1), pages 35-53, March.
    13. Blekesaune, Morten, 2006. "Economic conditions and public attitudes toward welfare state policies," ISER Working Paper Series 2006-45, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    14. Barnes, Lucy & Hicks, Timothy, 2015. "Risk, Recession, and Declining Popular Demand for the Welfare State," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 228, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    15. Allen, William L. & Ruiz, Isabel & Vargas-Silva, Carlos, 2024. "Policy preferences in response to large forced migration inflows," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    16. Laron K. Williams, 2019. "Guns Yield Butter? An Exploration of Defense Spending Preferences," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(5), pages 1193-1221, May.
    17. Ori Katz & Eyal Zamir, 2021. "Do People Like Mandatory Rules? The Choice Between Disclosures, Defaults, and Mandatory Rules in Supplier‐Customer Relationships," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(2), pages 421-460, June.
    18. Po-Chin Wu & Shiao-Yen Liu & Sheng-Chieh Pan, 2014. "Does Misery Index Matter for the Persistence of Health Spending? Evidence from OECD Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 893-910, September.
    19. Godwin Kwemarira & Munene J. C. Kigozi & Joseph Mpeera Ntayi & Isaac Wazinge Magoola, 2021. "Accountability as a Mediator between Deontological Ethical Orientations and Public Interest in Ugandan Public Primary Schools," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 491-509, September.
    20. Joey Au & Andrew Coleman & Trudy Sullivan, 2015. "A Practical Approach to Well-being Based Policy Development: What Do New Zealanders Want from Their Retirement Income Policies?," Treasury Working Paper Series 15/14, New Zealand Treasury.
    21. Will Jennings & Peter John, 2009. "The Dynamics of Political Attention: Public Opinion and the Queen's Speech in the United Kingdom," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(4), pages 838-854, October.
    22. Bryan D. Jones & Frank R. Baumgartner & Christian Breunig & Christopher Wlezien & Stuart Soroka & Martial Foucault & Abel François & Christoffer Green‐Pedersen & Chris Koski & Peter John & Peter B. Mo, 2009. "A General Empirical Law of Public Budgets: A Comparative Analysis," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(4), pages 855-873, October.

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