الرأي العام الأمريكي والسياسة الخارجية

The question of the optimal role of public opinion in managing international affairs is one of the central issues in democratic theory. Questions have been raised about the ability of the public to make informed judgments about these complex issues, which are often far removed from their personal experiences. In addition, the influence of public opinion on foreign policy making is discussed. In Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy, Uli Holsti addresses these fundamental issues using comprehensive data on the public's attitudes and preferences on international affairs. Holsti concludes that although the American public is ill-informed about many aspects of foreign affairs, its views are usually consistent and reasonable reactions to real-world events, do not lack structure, and often have significant influence on foreign policy. Holsti reviews changes in understanding the influence of public opinion on foreign policy since World War I. According to Holsti, this war transformed the issue of public involvement in foreign affairs from a theoretical question to a practical one that many postwar leaders faced. World War II and its immediate aftermath are equally important. The Vietnam War stimulated a new wave of theories and research that challenged many aspects of the prevailing view of public opinion after World War II. The author evaluates the hypothesis that partisan consensus on foreign policy in the post-World War II period has declined over the past two decades, to be replaced by sharp partisan divisions, reinforced by ideological differences. The end of the Cold War also raised new questions about public opinion and foreign policy. Holsti explores the determinants of public opinion on foreign policy, the influence of gender, generation, education, religion, and race on foreign policy positions, and the relationship of the general public's views to those of leaders. This book will be of interest to political scientists, historians, political psychologists, and anyone interested in American foreign policy and the domestic factors that may influence its formulation and implementation.