ABSTRACT
V. O. Key once spoke of “the practical necessity that governments obtain the support of influential elements in society.” Students of public opinion take it almost as a truism that no political system can operate effectively in the absence of minimal levels of loyalty or allegiance on the part of its members, that a system’s very existence may in fact be imperiled by the presence of widespread discontent. Especially when discontent leads to the mobilization of portions of the population, government may be required to divert its resources toward efforts to control the disaffected groups and away from problems that caused them to feel dissatisfied in the first place. For anyone who doubts that the tendencies might one day have a profound impact on the essential character of American politics, the stunning rise of Ross Perot as a serious contender for the presidency in 1992 should serve as a useful corrective.
