UNIVERSITY OF EL SALVADOR

FACULTY OF LAWS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

STUDY PROGRAMS 2010

SUBJECT: ENGLISH IV
THEORETICAL GROUP: 03

CONTENT:

PUBLIC OPINION

MISS BERTA PORTILLO

STUDENTS:

ALVAREZ ARGUETA, KATHERINNE BETSABE AA12143

FIGUEROA PINTO, FÁTIMA MARÍA FP12016

NUÑEZ BERNABÉ, MAURA CAROLINA NB09001

DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th, 2018.

 ABSTRACT

The present report, is an essay about the comparison and contrast, summarizing
the main points of the topic ‘’ Public Opinion’’, developed in chapter six of the book
‘’ The American Democracy’’ by Thomas Patterson; we will mention the elements
and actors that influence which make up public opinion; and we made a
comparison and contrast of how these factors influence American and Salvadoran
society.

Initiating the definition of public opinion and its nature, the obstacles in which the
main one is the difference of opinions and that is represented in the elections,
because the vote is the main mechanism of representation of public opinion; in the
same way there are other mechanisms such as newspaper or internet articles.

The public opinion arises from the political socialization; that defines the beliefs
and values that a certain person acquires influenced by their family, school,
church, institutions or groups of friends, better known as the agents of socialization

Afterwards, a glossary of the words is presented, the meaning of which is

unknown, finally in the annexes there are graphs showing the influence of public
opinion in both societies; and a summary chart with respect to the chapter.
One Comparison and Contrast of the Public Opinion between United States
of America and El Salvador

“The strength of public opinion is irresistible when it is allowed to express itself freely”,
(Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States 1743-1826). During the period
of the cold war, the United States participated directly or indirectly in innumerable civil
conflicts in the international arena; however one of the most emblematic cases was its
participation in the well-known war in Vietnam. This war does not represent a victory
of the hegemonic power for the American nationalists, but it is taken as a reference
that the United States in Vietnam lost the war, but the important question is what
made the difference between this war and the other. Civil conflicts in which the United
States and Russia faced indirectly, undoubtedly, the difference was the weight of the
weight generated by the American public opinion, which was able to dissuade a
government that until then had not given its arm to twist its opponent. The
demonstrations of power that had public opinion did not begin during the Vietnam
War, after the end of World War II, the famous Robert Jeffress referred to the impetus
that represented the Jewish holocaust saying: "I want to remind people that the Nazis
They were not there". The Germans would not have allowed it, but the Nazis had to
change public opinion, marginalized the Jewish people, despised it and turned it into
objects of contempt. some of the representations in which the public opinion of the
peoples and nations has changed the course of history in a before and after. Due to
the evolution of Public opinion, it is important to recognize it as a process from its
antecedents, since it emerges as a mechanism that serves to legitimize the political,
cultural and ideological changes of the period of the illustration, as well as the
principles and declarations of the French and Americans a revolution as an
antechamber for the establishment of the liberal economic political system. Public
opinion is born as an instrument to legitimize the proposals, vision and work of
politicians and subsequent political parties, but mainly of the dominant power. The
purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the cultural thinking, the ideological
thinking, and the partisan thinking as the main characteristics about the public policy
opinion, between United States of America and El Salvador.
The similar points between the United States and El Salvador are based on the
forging of democracy. Due to the good relations between both nations and the
influence that the United States has historically had in El Salvador and other Latin
American countries, it has made political systems and public opinion congruent in both
nations, thus affecting cultural, ideological and cultural thought. partisan of the
country. Likewise, the political cultural thinking of American and Salvadoran society
has been developed to the democracy that prevails in both nations. In the same way
Americans and Salvadorans are unusual in their commitment to a common set of
ideals that define the nature of American and Salvadoran political experience. The
political ideals of the Americans and Salvadorans are a positive influence on public
opinion, affect the way in which disputes are discussed and affect what people
consider reasonable and desirable. Likewise, The ideals of the Americans and
Salvadorans serve to define the limits of political action and acceptable public opinion.
Both in El Salvador and in the United States, there is talk of the democratic political
culture, defined by four characteristics, the holding of free and independent elections
(which contribute to the realization of the right to political participation); the existence
of free and independent media (which enable the exercise of the right to freedom of
expression); the separation of state powers (which helps to protect citizens from the
violation of their civil and political rights); and the promotion of an open civil society
(which contributes to the realization of the right of peaceful assembly and association).
The United States and El Salvador have a government with limited powers listed in
the Constitution of both countries. His form of government is known as presidential
democracy because there is a president. The election of the president is indirect
through delegates or grand electors. In both countries there is the management of
inequality in the fulfillment of civil and human rights for its citizens. In both countries,
more and more organized social groups are emerging to defend the recognition of
their rights within an organized society, such as LGTBI, feminists, etc. Both countries
have a society with open thoughts before a globalized world, with updated information
management for the issuance of their opinions and each time with an interdependent
society, thanks to the citizens that the savior has in the American nation. At the same
time, the outstanding political ideological thoughts in the United States and El
Salvador are liberals and conservatives who describe how ordinary citizens think
about political issues. At the same time, the concepts of liberalism and conservative
ideological terms are outstanding in American and Salvadoran society. In the United
States and the savior, the population has a pattern of opinions on issues that are
enough to be described as a true ideology. In addition, most Americans and
Salvadorans are relatively pragmatic in their political judgments, judging policies
according to whether they seem to be working or not. In both countries there is a high
index of polarization, political public opinion is divided between two groups, the pro
and against the implementation of policies of both countries, in the United States with
Donal Trumb and in El Salvador was most notorious in the presidency of Francisco
Flowers, both of conservative parties. As for partisan thinking, the daily game for
many of the Americans and Salvadorans, is the main source of opinion that most
clearly divides partisanship. The fervor of political affinity between American and
Salvadoran citizens makes political parties last over time even the creation of new
social political organizations. As can be seen, democracy predominates in cultural,
ideological and partisan thinking in both states, however the similarities between both
are very few, since the United States, because it is a superpower, has greater cultural
and social development than El Salvador.

While the differences between the United States and El Salvador are relevant, since
the development of citizenship is asymmetric because the United States is a power
and the savior is a developing country. Americans are unusual in their commitment to
a common set of ideals that define the nature of American political experience. Unlike
in El Salvador we speak of the democratic political culture, at least four characteristics
define the democratic system: the holding of free and independent elections (which
contribute to the realization of the right to political participation); the existence of free
and independent media (which enable the exercise of the right to freedom of
expression); the separation of state powers (which helps to protect citizens from the
violation of their civil and political rights); and the promotion of an open civil society
(which contributes to the realization of the right of peaceful assembly and association).
While in United States, two ideologies, conservatism and liberalism predominate
research indicates that no more than a third of Americans, and a minimum of a tenth,
have a pattern of opinions on issues that are consistent enough to be described as a
manifestation of a true ideology. In addition, most Americans are relatively pragmatic
in their political judgments. Instead of applying an ideological framework, Americans
tend to judge policies according to whether they seem to be working or if they seem to
work; on the other hand in El Salvador there are different ideological corrients like
Right of ideological position Republicanism, Nationalism, Social conservatism,
Economic liberalism; for the Left, the ideological position is Socialism, Progresismo,
Sindicalismo; in the Center Right, Conservatism, Liberalism and centrism; and for the
Center, they are Christian Democracy and Christian Humanism; despite the diversity
of ideologies there is a strong polarity of ideologies between the left-right scheme.

In conclusion, public opinion is the element of pressure within the social context that
influences the decisions of officials. Therefore, it is important that officials take into
account the interests and needs of the population, especially in those issues that
generate the most attention of civil society. In this phenomenon, religion influences,
family thought groups that influence from childhood to adulthood. In the case of El
Salvador, it is more complicated because there are different ideological currents, so
there is a polarization of opinions. While in the United States people tend to have the
same ways of thinking and are more focused on the performance of officials and are
not interested in the party they are part of. The public opinion among the United State
and El Salvador has differences and similarities between a series of elements that
integrate the political socialization moreover it is important to clarify the influences that
those elements generate on government policies. The public opinion can influence in
part on the roll play by official on government reducing their power of the decision
taken. So public opinion is not an element a precise determinant of public policy and
do not represent the population at all.
 GLOSSARY

Flunk: fail to reach the required standard in (an examination, test, or course of study).

Stem: originate in or be caused by

Gauge: an instrument or device for measuring the magnitude, amount, or contents of

something, typically with a visual display of such information.

Sample: a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like.

Polls: the process of voting in an election.

Clues: a piece of evidence or information used in the detection of a crime or solving of a

mystery.

Accurately: precisely, just

Bibliography

1) https://www.definicionabc.com/historia/republica.php

2) Public opinion and political socialization: shaping the people’s voice.

 Annexes.

Outline

One Comparison and Contrast of the Public Opinion between United States of
America and El Salvador

I. Introduction

"The force of public opinion is irresistible when it is allowed to express itself freely." (Thomas
Jefferson, third president of the United States 1743-1826)

Thesis:

The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the cultural thinking, the ideological thinking,
and the partisan thinking as the main characteristics about the public opinion, between United
States of America and El Salvador.

II. Body Paragraph 1:

The similar points between the United States and El Salvador are based on the forging of
democracy.

• Likewise, the political cultural thinking of American and Salvadoran society has been developed to
the democracy that prevails in both nations.

• At the same time, the outstanding political ideological thoughts in the United States and El
Salvador are the liberals and conservatives who describe how ordinary citizens think about political
issues.

• Regarding partisan thinking, the daily game for many of the Americans and Salvadorans is the
main source of opinion that divides partisanship more clearly.

III. Body Paragraph 2:

While the differences between the United States and El Salvador are relevant, since the
development of citizenship is asymmetric because the United States is a power and the savior is a
developing country.

• The cultural thinking.

• The ideological thinking.

• The partisan thinking

IV. Conclusion

Thesis statement: In conclusion, public opinion is the element of pressure within the social context
that influences the decisions of officials
GRAPHICS