| Summary: | Presents a comparative overview of the development of opinion polling in the late-capitalist and post-communist societies. The text considers two related issues to help readers understand the role of polls in political affairs, and the prospects for polling in the future. Firstly, it is argued that there are certain tendencies unfolding in both late-capitalist and post-communist societies (which the author terms Complex Politics) which make polling an increasingly difficult activity. The processes affect the ability of polls to measure public opinion effectively and to contribute to political democratization. Secondly, the book examines whether polls extend or inhibit democratic process. The long-standing debate between advocates and critics of polls is considered and applied to both late-capitalist and post-communist societies. It is concluded that while opinion polls may in certain ways improve democratic practices, they can also be used by powerful specialist interest groups to frustrate these aims.
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