Public Opinion

work by Lippmann

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July 13, 2026

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Walter Lippmann, a prominent American commentator and author, explored the concept of public opinion in his influential 1922 book of the same name. Lippmann suggested that in the age of mass media, citizens struggle to rationally judge public issues. He argued that the condensed nature of media often leads to the creation of slogans rather than nuanced interpretations.1

In his later work, The Phantom Public (1925), Lippmann continued to examine political communication. While he doubted the feasibility of true democracy, he rejected the idea of rule by an elite. Scholars generally agree that for something to be considered public opinion, there must be an issue, a significant number of people expressing opinions on it, a degree of consensus, and this consensus must exert influence.12

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Walter Lippmann
…perhaps his most influential book, Public Opinion (1922; reissued 1956; paperback ed., 1965), Lippmann seemed to imply that ordinary citizens can no longer judge public issues rationally, since the speed and condensation required in the mass media tend to produce slogans rather than interpretations. In The Phantom Public (1925) he…
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…perhaps his most influential book, Public Opinion (1922; reissued 1956; paperback ed., 1965), Lippmann seemed to imply that ordinary citizens can no longer judge public issues rationally, since the speed and condensation required in the mass media tend to produce slogans rather than interpretations. In The Phantom Public (1925) he…
Read More

political science
Developments in the United States
…a view similarly expressed in Public Opinion (1922) by the American journalist and political scientist Walter Lippmann (1889–1974).
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…a view similarly expressed in Public Opinion (1922) by the American journalist and political scientist Walter Lippmann (1889–1974).
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propaganda
Modern research and the evolution of current theories
…followers, as were Walter Lippmann’s Public Opinion (1922) and The Phantom Public (1925).
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…followers, as were Walter Lippmann’s Public Opinion (1922) and The Phantom Public (1925).
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