Perceptions of public opinion. British foreign policy decisions about Nazi Germany, 1933-1938
This thesis examines the historical problem of determining the relationship between a government's perception of public opinion and the decisions it takes. We introduce evidence for the social habits of the Cabinet in order to suggest new formulations of 'Ă©lite' and 'mass' public opinion. We argue that parliamentary opinion was generally more important in decision-making for the Cabinet, except at moments of extreme crisis when a conception of 'mass' opinion became equally significant. These characterization of mass opinion were drawn from a set of stereotypes about public opinion which academic and political theorization had produced. It is argued that this theorization was stimulated by ongoing debates about mass communication, the importance of the ordinary man in democracy and the outbreak of the first world war during the inter-war period. The thesis begins with an introduction to the methodological problems involved, followed by one chapter on theorization about public opinion in the inter-war period. Three diplomatic crises are considered in the case study chapters: the withdrawal of Germany from the Disarmament Conference in 1933, the German reoccuption of the Rhineland in 1936 and the threat of invasion
Wilkinson, Sarah
History ; History of Britain and Europe ; public opinion ; mass opinion ; decision-making ; foreign policy ; interwar-period ; Cabinet ; Nazi Germany ; diplomatic crises ; Jews
Perceptions of public opinion. British foreign policy decisions about Nazi Germany, 1933-1938. This thesis examines the historical problem of determining the relationship between a government's perception of public opinion and the decisions it takes. We introduce evidence for the social habits of the Cabinet in order to suggest new formulations of 'Ă©lite' and 'mass' public opinion. We argue that parliamentary opinion was generally more important in decision-making for the Cabinet, except at moments of extreme crisis when a conception of 'mass' opinion became equally significant. These characterization of mass opinion were drawn from a set of stereotypes about public opinion which academic and political theorization had produced. It is argued that this theorization was stimulated by ongoing debates about mass communication, the importance of the ordinary man in democracy and the outbreak of the first world war during the inter-war period. The thesis begins with an introduction to the methodological problems involved, followed by one chapter on theorization about public opinion in the inter-war period. Three diplomatic crises are considered in the case study chapters: the withdrawal of Germany from the Disarmament Conference in 1933, the German reoccuption of the Rhineland in 1936 and the threat of invasion
perceptions public_opinion british_foreign policy_decision nazi_germany examines historical problem determine relationship government perception public_opinion decision_take introduce evidence social habit cabinet order suggest new formulation lite mass public_opinion argue parliamentary opinion generally important decision_making cabinet except moment extreme crisis conception mass opinion become equally significant characterization mass opinion drawn set stereotype public_opinion academic political theorization produce argue theorization stimulate ongoing_debate mass communication importance ordinary man democracy outbreak first_world_war inter_war_period begin_introduction methodological_problem involve follow theorization public_opinion inter_war_period diplomatic crisis consider case_study withdrawal germany conference german rhineland threat invasion