DR.

RAM MANOHAR LOHIYA

NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW

BASICS OF LEGISLATION

ROUGH DRAFT
ON

ROLE OF PARLIAMENT AND PUBLIC OPINION

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Dr. SHASHANK SHEKHAR SHASHWAT KATYAYAN
Assistant Professor (Law) Roll no.: 174
Enrollment No. 170101174
Ist Semester
B.A.LLB (Hons)
 INTRODUCTION
The origin of term 'public opinion' is shrouded in obscurity. The Greeks and the Romans used
parallel expressions. The Romans, however, treated consensus populi in juridical sense as
distinguish from present political context. Also, the proverb "Vox populi, vox dei" had gained
currency during the middle Ages. In the Discourses Machiavelli, too, compared the voice of
the people to the voice of God. The phrase public opinion in its present meaning as the
agency for the conditioning of public policy was introduced later into the vocabulary of the
European politics through France. Jean Jacques Rousseau was perhaps first to use it on the
eve of French Revolution. Today, the literature of democracy symbolizes in fact the
rationalization of political behavior in terms of public opinion. To quote MacIver, "This
incessant activity of popular opinion is the dynamic of democracy."

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
METHOD: For the purpose of following research, researchers method is doctrinal. This
methodology is suitable for the research topic: Role of Parliament and Public Opinion which
requires extensive and close examination of facts.
SOURCES: The research would be conducted by investigator through utilizing the
primary, secondary and miscellaneous sources. Books and articles would be referred
for the research purpose.

TENTATIVE CHAPTERISATION
Introduction
Parliament
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. The
Parliament is composed of the President of India and the houses. It is bicameral with
two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the
People). The President in his role as head of legislature has full powers to summon
and prorogue either house of Parliament or to dissolve Lok Sabha. The president can
exercise these powers only upon the advice of the Prime Minister and his Union
Council of Ministers.

Nature of Public Opinion

 In the field of political theory the concept of public opinion has been subjected to a
through analysis in recent years. Still, there is no general agreement as to its meaning
or function and in the absence of analytical clarity, the discussion on its nature, to
quote Sait, have "often introduce confusion rather than enlightment."
The concept of public opinion came to limelight in the wake of democracy. The
governmental policies gradually became the function of opinion rather than of force,
and the means for the expressions of opinion like constitutionally guaranteed liberties,
elections, political parties etc., were at hand, the role of public opinion in the
government came to be generally recognized
Meaning of Public Opinion
The role of opinion in government is generally agreed. As Bryce puts it, "Opinion has
really been the chief and ultimate power in nearly all time Governments have
always rested and, special cases apart, must rest, if not on the affection, then on the
silent acquiescence, of the numerical majority." In non-democratic governments, the
people acquiesce in or give passive consent to authority out of respect, habit of
obedience or fear of repression. But the distinguishing feature of democracy is that
governmental authority is built, controlled and conditioned by the force of an active
public opinion.
On the nature of public opinion, however, writers in their opinion. Even if the theory
of democracy is accepted and the role of opinion in the determination of public policy
is taken for granted, the debatable points are: "What public?" and "Whose opinion?"
A political "public" may mean anything ranging from an undisciplined mob to an
articulated minority. Again, "opinion" may be rationally or irrationally formed, or
expressed. These are similar other problems relating to the concept of public opinion
have produced an important controversies.
Role of Public Opinion in Law Making
Conclusion

TENTATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Edward L. Bernays, Crystallizing Public Opinion, 1923

Daniel L. Smail, Thelma Fernster, Fama. The Politics of Talk and Reputation, Ithaca,
Cornell University Press, 2003
www.jstor.org/stable/42744054
www.cses.org/resources/results/POP_Oct2005_2.htm