labels diffuse support), and evaluations that reflect judgements about political phenomena (specific support).
If we combine these two dimensions—political level and the type of belief—this gives us a familiar map of public
orientations toward politics and the political system. To illustrate this framework in more detail, the cells of Table 3.1
contain typical public opinion questions that might measure each type of belief. Affective orientations to the
community might be tapped by questions such as feelings of national pride or a sense of national identity. Evaluations
of the nation and political community might be measured by questions that ask which is the best nation in which to
live. At the other end of the continuum, affective feelings toward political incumbents might be measured by feeling
thermometers concerning leaders. By comparison, questions on leadership performance tap evaluative feelings toward
presidents and prime ministers.
This is certainly not an original framework—but it is necessary to emphasize the distinction between various measures
of political support. These differences are sometimes blurred, and these differences are politically significant in
interpreting our findings.16 The distinction between diffuse and specific support is important in understanding the
significance of public attitudes toward the political process. Democratic political systems must keep the support of
their citizens if they are to remain viable. Yet, since all governments occasionally fail to meet public expectations, shortterm
failures to satisfy public demands must not directly erode diffuse support for the regime or political community.
In other words, a democratic political system requires a reservoir of diffuse support independent of immediate policy
outputs (specific support) if it is to weather periods of public dissatisfaction.
Comparisons across levels of support also are important. Discontent withpolitical authorities normally has limited
systemic implications. Citizens often become dissatisfied withpolitical office-holders and act on these feelings to select
new leaders at the next election. Dissatisfaction with authorities, within a democratic system, is not usually a signal for
basic political change. Negative attitudes toward political officials can exist withlittle loss in support for the office itself
or the institutional structure encompassing this office. As the object of dissatisfaction becomes more general—the
performance of the regime or attachment to the political community—the political implications increase. A decline in
support for the political process might provoke a basic challenge to constitutional structures or calls for reform in the
procedures of government. Weakening ties to the political community in a democratic system might foretell eventual
revolution, civil war, or the loss of democracy. Therefore, ‘not all expressions of unfavorable orientations have the
same degree of gravity for a political system. Some may be consistent withits maintenance; others may lead to
fundamental change’ (Easton 1975: 437). Having introduced this framework, we will draw together a variety of public