Public opinion simply is the collective opinion of the people fearlessly expressed and it has a decisive and abiding value. It is now-a-days defined as the verdict of the people out of Court. Democracy is (out of) ultimately run by public opinion. No rule or order can go on for a long time without ignoring or suppressing true public opinion. Like popular sovereignty public opinion is sure to re-assert itself in the long run.
There are certain organs and agencies that govern public opinion. Foremost of these is the press. Freedom of speech or expression is to be assured as the fundamental right in a democracy. Newspapers and periodicals constitute what is known as the forth estate. Newspaper by supplying true reports and honest and unbiassed comments on them instruct public opinion. In public speeches and meetings and debates burning political issues are also trashed. This is finally reflected in the general election of the country. Other public media like Radio, Television, Cinema and theaters etc. help in this respect in forming and moulding public opinion. That political party is successful in rallying public opinion in its favor finally that wins the election convincingly; Demagogues (moborators) and rabble-rousers may cheat or mislead the public but for a short time.
A statesman ignores public opinion only at his peril. History has shown how ineffective it has been to hoodwink public opinion. Julius Caeser and Nero in ancient days or Hitlar and Idi Amin (Kampala) could not defy public opinion for, long. However high or mighty the dictator or autocrat might he, he shall have to finally submit to the collective and crystallized expression of public opinion. The French Revolution of 1789 was nothing but the explosive expression of public opinion.
India has been maintaining a fine tradition of the respect for people's opinion. Even apical King Ram Chandra had to desert his beloved censor immaculate and sinless Sita Devi, in deference to the wishes of the subjects. Even the Muslim rulers of the Middle Ages held Am Durbars as open assemblies to serve prevailing public opinion. The British rulers of India tried hard to suppress the legitimitate opinion of the people. Sir Surendranath Banerjee once said—what prevails in India of today is neither public nor opinion. He along with the other illustrious Anti-Partition leaders of Bengal unsettle the 'settled fact' of Lord Curzon and Bengal was united in 1911 with the memorable words of King George V—"I do not understand why the sentiments of an enlightened people like the Bengalees would not be respected." Rabindranath lifted his saintly voice in indignant protest against the gogged silence of the administrators when he renounced his Knighthood for Jalianwalabag atrocities in Punjab in April, 1919.
During our struggle for independence great Congress leaders like Nehru and Netaji addressed thousands of public meetings across the country to enlighten the public about the real state and enlist there support for the struggle. Finally it was the triumph of the public opinion that wrested independence for the unarmed nation from the unwilling hands of the mighty British imperialists in August, 1947.
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