Public opinion as J. Habermas Note: The following is a summary of the contents of the following readings: Habermas, J. History and criticism of public opinion. The structural transformation of public life . 2004.
By Anton Begoña Gracia Habermas's theory is based on the study area public, the public space. A Habermas is interested in discovering what are the social conditions for the development of a rational and critical debate on public issues conducted by persons desirous that the arguments, not the ascription of status, determining the formation of public opinion. The public sphere, for Habermas, is not the state nor the market is rather informally mobilized body of nongovernmental discursive opinion can serve as a counterweight to the state and the market. Indeed, it is precisely this extra-governmental public sphere that gives it an aura of independence, autonomy and legitimacy to the view generated public in that public sphere.
The emergence of public sphere in the spirit of the Enlightenment. A history of the enlightenment public sphere is located in the discussions that took place in the eighteenth century in spaces such as classrooms, cafes, taverns and clubs in the heat of anti-absolutist ideas (Montesquieu) and the opposition to Privilege (Voltaire), along with the claim of individual rights, among which may be listed freedom of thought and freedom of expression.
serves the public sphere, then, to integrate the individual opinions resulting in a freely made because there is a social space is not determined by the power of the state or by the trading dynamics. Following Habermas, two processes occur simultaneously: the process of empowerment of civil society, to the state and against the market, and the emergence of the public sphere. One asks the other: "The public sphere also eventually engages with critical discussion of political issues definitely becomes the sphere in which civil society reflects and exposes their interests." This reflection and disclosure of interests present by way of open discussion in public on topics of common interest. The public sphere is characterized thus by having a communication structure that relates to action-oriented understanding among participants.
For Habermas, civil society and public opinion weighed heavily to build the rule of law. The legal norm and not the product of tradition or of the divine will, as in previous times, but the product of reason. And the reason was considered as expressing the general will. Without this power, without the assumption of the opinion public as the source of all authority linked to the whole, modern democracy has no substance of its own truth. The public sphere of modern society appears, then, as the claim that public opinion is formed it is the only legitimate source of law.
Historically, democratic parliaments have played an important role in the integration of public opinion. But Habbermas gives great importance to civil society and public sphere in this process because it is just the freeness of speech outside the political arena that gives a function central to identifying, theming and interpret the political concerns of society as a whole.
The public administration is characterized by the representative system proceeds as follows: 1) by the argument that the powers that be forced to seek the truth together, 2) through advertising that makes these powers go to the meeting of reason, justice and truth under the scrutiny of citizens, and 3) by means of press freedom that encourages citizens to the same search and considering the power
This embodies a paradox facing the public sphere and public opinion: first, is the realization of the liberal democratic ideal of the discussion, unimpeded, the problems of concern to society, to influence the formation of political and legal decision in the institutional and, on the other, we met with the distortion of public opinion for-profit political and economic profit, with the usurpation of the public sphere also interests of power or of a commercial nature. It follows that an action for civil society should strive for the "decolonization" of territory belonging to the public sphere, related inclinations with political interests and economic. In short, Habermas's theory on public opinion allows us to establish, schematically, the following: a) The public space.
- Located in the civil sphere and the physical space where civil society meets.
- Public space is the space that civil society is gaining against the State or the market.
- public space in the SC debate critical issues of government and market, and presents ideas and rational way transmits the values \u200b\u200band behaviors.
- In this sense, public opinion is the voice of the SC generated in the public space, is communicative action that is beginning to take shape and goes down based on solid arguments, sound, background , etc. .
- To Habermass, and there are many public spaces and public opinion themed: human rights, environment, religion, and migracipon development, etc.
- The goal of public space become the guarantor of the circulatory system space of civil society, which is formed from below, public opinion as a legitimate source of law and government policy making.
- The public sphere and, consequently, the public space are independent and autonomous by nature extragovernmental, which just gives legitimacy to the public that is growing in that space.
b) Characteristics of the public sphere.
- has a communication structure in which the participants, all alike, have the opportunity to express their ideas and proposals discuss and negotiate.
- The debate starts in the public sphere is rational and critical, so it generates a structured and rational discourse.
- Building consensus through public discussion is the regulatory mechanism of conflict, so that dialogue takes command to resolve the differences.
- It generates interactive process of communication between individuals, groups and civic associations.
c) The public opinion is Habermas.
- The voice of civil society that is growing in the public space.
- is product of the circulatory system of civil society.
- Because it starts in the public sphere, public opinion is the only legitimate source of law.
- The law of public opinion is the voice of reason and critical point are the merits of the arguments not the identity of those argue.
- Public opinion is the link between democratic society and the parliamentary body.
- public No modern democracy is unsustainable.
d) Risks conformation public opinion:
- Lack of rational discourse, well-supported and structured.
- The media can distort public opinion, but this is where civil society can and should place limits.
For Reflection:
Based on the arguments about the construction of the public in accordance with the assumptions Habermas, I invite you to think about: How can you guarantee pluralism, rationality and quality of public opinion if much of the population, in the case of Mexico, is not involved, is politically apathetic and some participatory? How can you ensure, or rather to ensure the freedom and autonomy of the public to debate the ever greater and more frequent presence of clearly defined interests of the powers that be? How far public opinion can be considered truly independent in a country like Mexico, where partisan interest groups and have permeated the fabric of society? Is it possible to use new media, as the case of ICT, to build, promote and strengthen public debate? How can society as a whole is involved, participate and shape public opinion rational discourse and quality, which is a party to influence the public decision making?
The exchange of ideas is essential to start building a public quality: start this process!
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