This is the meaning of "public opinon", when several individuals, as part of society hold the same (or or very similar) general belief (opinion) on a subject (problem or issue), it is the attitude of the public towards something. It is important in politics to define the actions of a government.
It is a term that refers to the idea that Western people had a duty to civilize so-called “inferior” or nonwhite cultures. It was used to justify the European imperialism during the late nineteenth century.
