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The Responsive Public

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  • Mark N. Franklin
  • Christopher Wlezien

Abstract

One little-noted requirement for the proper functioning of democratic institutions is public responsiveness to policy. A responsive public would adjust its preference for `more' or `less' policy in reaction to what policy-makers do. In this article we set out a theoretical model of how the salience of the issue domain conditions the feedback of policy outputs on public preferences, and we then show how this model can be applied in the European case. In assessing the model we employ data from all Eurobarometer surveys conducted in the 24-year period between 1971 and 1994 together with policy data from the Official Journal of the EC/EU. Our findings suggest that public preferences regarding European unification do reflect policy, though only as the salience of the domain has increased over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark N. Franklin & Christopher Wlezien, 1997. "The Responsive Public," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 9(3), pages 347-363, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jothpo:v:9:y:1997:i:3:p:347-363
    DOI: 10.1177/0951692897009003005
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wlezien, Christopher, 1996. "Dynamics of Representation: The Case of US Spending on Defence," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(1), pages 81-103, January.
    2. Miller, Warren E. & Stokes, Donald E., 1963. "Constituency Influence in Congress," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 57(1), pages 45-56, March.
    3. Durr, Robert H., 1993. "What Moves Policy Sentiment?," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 87(1), pages 158-170, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. de Wilde, Pieter & Rauh, Christian, 2019. "Going full circle: the need for procedural perspectives on EU responsiveness," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 26(11), pages 1737-1748.
    2. Matthew Gabel & Kenneth Scheve, 2005. "Estimating the Effect of Elite Communications on Public Opinion Using Instrumental Variables," Working Papers 2005-02, University of Kentucky, Institute for Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations.

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