Overton window

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The Overton Window

The overton window is the framework of ideas that are accepted in public discourse, from the point of view of public morality . According to this model , this window contains a number of postulates that are considered politically acceptable in the current climate of public opinion and that a politician can recommend without appearing too extreme to obtain or retain public office. The concept is used all over the world, especially by political analysts - for example for evaluating and assessing facts. A related term is the opinion corridor used in Sweden and Norway.

Concept development

The name is derived from the founder of this theory Joseph P. Overton (1960-2003), an American lawyer and former Vice President of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy . Overton argued that the political viability of an idea largely depends on whether it fits into this model and is not designed according to the individual preferences of politicians.

definition

Overton described a range from "more freedom " to "less freedom" in terms of government intervention, which is arranged vertically on an axis to avoid a comparison with the political spectrum from left to right. As the spectrum moves or expands, an idea can become more or less politically acceptable in a particular place. According to political spokesman Joshua Treviño, the window can be divided into the following broad areas according to the degree of acceptance of public ideas:

  • unthinkable
  • radical
  • acceptable
  • makes sense
  • current
  • State policy

meaning

The Overton Window is one approach to determining which ideas define the area of ​​acceptance within the possible government policy of a democracy. Proponents of postulates outside the window (framing) try to convince or influence the public in order to move and / or expand the window. Proponents of the current or similar standards try inside the window to convince people that the politics outside should be seen as unacceptable.

The Overton Window starts with the question of why so many new and plausible ideas are not being taken seriously. Overton noted that politicians who want to be re-elected cannot or will not afford answers that are considered extreme. The framework of the acceptable should not be exceeded. This "convenience window" contains acceptable projects that have been approved by experts or scientists, that are backed up and verifiable by statistics, that have a good chance of being included in legislation and ultimately supported by many voters.

Political projects that lie within the Overton window are considered capable of reaching a consensus or a majority .

After Overton's death, others have explored the concept of customizing the window by deliberately promoting ideas outside the “outer edge” with the intention of making less extreme ideas acceptable through comparison. The door-in-the-face technique of persuasion works in a similar way.

Exploring extreme political approaches - u. a. through populism , propaganda , suggestion or manipulation , but also motivation for change and new ideas - positions outside the Overton window to see whether there are new majorities here. Positively received narratives outside the Overton window can then initiate paradigm shifts.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rutger Bregman: Utopias for Realists . 2nd Edition. Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, Hamburg 2019, ISBN 978-3-499-63300-3 , p. 250 f .
  2. ↑ Lenz Jacobsen: Crass opinions blow in our faces with full force. In: The time. Die Zeit, July 26, 2018, accessed on September 22, 2019 (German).