ABSTRACT
Having an orderly approach to life, the nordic countries eagerly embraced public opinion polls. The exception was Iceland, which began them on security policy only recently. In analyzing them, one runs into the obstacle that the questions asked vary from country to country. Nevertheless, they are the best indication we have of how the public feels about various security issues. Furthermore, politicians pay close attention to the polls. Since their main preoccupation is winning elections, they are more concerned about their party's standing in the polls than public attitudes toward issues. Nevertheless, governments are extremely reluctant to adopt policies which go contrary to the polls.
