Here are Maddox and Lilie’s results for 1972, 1976, and
1980:
Ideology
|
1972
|
1976
|
1980
|
Liberal
|
17.3%
|
16.4%
|
24.4%
|
Conservative
|
18.3%
|
18.0%
|
16.5%
|
Libertarian
|
9.4%
|
13.0%
|
17.7%
|
Populist
|
30.0%
|
23.7%
|
26.3%
|
Divided
|
19.2%
|
19.2%
|
10.6%
|
Inattentive
|
5.7%
|
9.6%
|
4.6%
|
Total
|
99.9%
|
99.9%
|
100.1%
|
An explanation is necessary for two categories that are in
the table above. First, by “Divided,” Maddox and Lilie mean those people who
express a combination of attitudes that does not fit one of the four primary
categories that they employ (liberal, conservative, libertarian, and populist)
because they express middle-of-the-road responses. They constitute the “Moderates”
in the previous post. Second, the “Inattentive” fail to respond to enough of
the major issues that were used to classify respondents into one of the
categories.
Interestingly, the percentages are similar to those in the
previous post; however, conservatives and libertarians in 1972, when Nixon
defeated McGovern, were a smaller percentage of the population than in 2012. On
the other hand, populists were a much greater percentage of the population. One
caveat is that Maddox and Lilie were considering the ideology of the
population, whereas Carmines, Ensley, and Wagner were considering the ideology
of the electorate, which is, of course, a much smaller group.
A better comparison is with the data for the same years by
Carmines, Ensley, and Wagner. Here are their data for 1972, 1976, and 1980:
Ideology
|
1972
|
1976
|
1980
|
Liberal
|
23%
|
26%
|
31%
|
Conservative
|
30%
|
29%
|
29%
|
Moderate
|
21%
|
24%
|
19%
|
Libertarian
|
12%
|
12%
|
13%
|
Populist
|
15%
|
9%
|
10%
|
Total
|
98%
|
100%
|
102%
|
The differences are rather dramatic, especially for
populists, liberals, and conservatives. Remember, however, the caveat above.
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