1. Degrees of Democracy: Public Preferences and Policy in Comparative Perspective.
- Author
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Soroka, Stuart N. and Wlezien, Christopher
- Subjects
- *
PUBLIC opinion , *POLITICAL planning , *PUBLIC spending , *BUDGET - Abstract
A large and growing body of research demonstrates a correspondence between public opinion and policy behavior. Almost all of this research has focused on the US, however. Do similar patterns obtain in other countries? Or is the US unique? This paper represents one step towards answering these questions. We extend previous research on the dynamics of spending preferences and budgetary policy in the US, using comparable longitudinal measures of public preferences and government spending in the US, UK, and Canada. The nature and magnitude of opinion-policy connections vary across both policy functions and countries. We explore this variance here, and suggest several possible explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2003
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