ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with opinion polling in capitalist political systems. It considers a number of issues relating to the interplay between politics and opinion polling by focusing on Britain as a critical case. The chapter examines the origins and history of the political opinion polling industry in Britain, and identifies the impetus behind its evolution and the changing patterns of demand for its services. It explores the role and functions of polls in political affairs, with particular reference to the use made of them by mass media organisations and the major political parties. The chapter discusses the response of political organisations and institutions to periodic calls to ban opinion polls. The development of political opinion polling in Britain is closely tied to the priorities of the mass media. The pattern of growth in opinion polling is likely to be shaped by the nature of the party system which operates, and the demand for public opinion information by political parties.
