Public opinion contains the eternal principles of justice. It holds them as common sense. And it knows the true needs of the time.

But:

As soon as it expresses itself in statements, everything accidental comes in. Ignorance, distortion, false judgment. And the worse an opinion is, the more personal it is. For the rational is universal. The personal side is exactly what opinion is proud of.

Two sayings:

At one time people say: The voice of the people is the voice of God. At another time the poet Ariosto says: The ignorant crowd blames everyone. It talks most about what it understands least. Both hold true for public opinion.

May you deceive a people?

A great mind once asked this in public. The answer: A people does not let anyone deceive it about its foundation, the essence of its spirit. But it deceives itself about the way it knows this and judges by it.

Letting people talk:

Everyone wants to have a say. Once he has said his word, he puts up with a lot. In France, free speech always seemed less dangerous than silence.

Summary: Public opinion contains the principles of justice and, at the same time, endless error. A people does not deceive itself about its essence, but it does about its judgment.