Midterm Flashcards
Propaganda
a set of methods employed by an organized group that wants to bring about the active or passive participation in its actions of a mass of individuals, psychologically united through psychological manipulations and incorporated into an organization
Difference between persuasion and propaganda
Total propaganda
It must use all means of transmission in order to provide a complete, closed system for explaining the world.
- each medium has its own area and reactions
- propaganda uses the legal system, changes interpretation of literature, and uses the education system, even
Example: France uses legal system to use propaganda against FLN, but also French films show magnificence of France
What does it mean for propaganda to eliminate outside points of reference?
Why is a society that is both individualist and mass a precondition for propaganda? Example
People must feel cut off from local structures–and thus part of an ambiguous mass–yet possess a feeling of uncertainty and lack of a frame of reference.
Example: Communist China rapidly changed its social order, upending the traditional order and creating a mass society
explain how public opinion functions as a precondition for propaganda and how it can be manipulated by propagandists
A society must have some form of public opinion. Such opinion: (1) comes from institutional channels, (2) cannot be expressed directly, and (3) is symbolic and detached from reality.
Small groups inhibit propaganda
explain the difference between political propaganda and sociological propaganda; identify it at work in an example
Political propaganda aims to promote the program of powerful interests or institutions.
Sociological propaganda aims to spread a certain lifestyle—usually the dominant ideology.
Example: the US used its way of life as psychological propaganda to unite its 19th century immigrants, as well as to prop up its economic way of life
explain the difference between vertical propaganda and horizontal propaganda; identify it at work in an example
Vertical propaganda is top-down communication from the leader to the people.
Horizontal propaganda is communication within social groups.
Example: Vertical: Hitler. Useful as agitation propaganda, but must constantly be renewed
Horizontal: small Chinese reeducation groups with a “police spy”–“voluntary”, and much, much more effective
define the term ideology; explain its relationship to propaganda
Ideology:
1. An element of valuation (cherished ideas)
2. An element of actuality (ideas relating to the present)
3. An element of belief (believed, rather than proved, ideas)
Ideology can be passive, whereas myth provokes action
Ideology serves propaganda as a pretext–French Revolution, US, Soviet (1940s) all traced back to ideology of democracy
explain the difference between propaganda of integration and propaganda of agitation; identify it at work in an example
Propaganda of agitation aims to promote physical involvement in a tense, overexcited activity. It relies on simple emotions and arguments (so best among poorly educated) and works in waves, with rest in between smaller achievable goals to accomplish large-scale operations.
Propaganda of integration aims to promote social conformity and stability. It can be made by the state, or by a group of organizations. It seeks total molding of the person in-depth. It works best among the educated, because they generally share the goals of a society while politically opposing it. It’s hard to convert from agitation to integration.
Example: Agitation: Hitler’s propaganda broke things down into smaller, achievable goals.
Integration: United States Brewer’s Foundation–“In this friendly, freedom-loving land of ours, Beer Belongs…Enjoy it!”
explain why the state needs (or “needs”) propaganda; identify it at work in an example
The Dilemma of the Modern State: Political leaders need propaganda to exercise power, because the masses now participate in politics. The government must convince the masses that its decisions are legitimate and good—and that it is the expression of popular sovereignty.
The State and Its Function: The government needs to convince other nations and its own citizens of its ideological superiority. Political leaders must protect against outside propaganda and educate it citizens in civic virtue.
Example: Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia only came in response to public demand–after a serious propaganda campaign. To give another example, the North Korean “Our Answer” missile poster from class–promotes the state at the expense of other states.
explain why the individual needs (or “needs”) propaganda; identify it at work in an example
The Objective Situation: People want to have opinions on public issues but desire only simple explanations in order to feel or sound informed: propaganda provides ready-made answers. Propaganda also helps people adjust to the conditions of modern society.
The Subjective Situation: People often feel lonely and isolated in contemporary society: propaganda offer the option to embrace a collective ideology. Propaganda also functions as a kind of balm by making people feel that they (and their society) are right, just, and good. Propaganda also soothes the harsh technology aspect of contemporary society.
Example: Americans create fables about the Communists (“godless communists”).
explain the psychological effects/functions of propaganda related to crystallization and alienation (including the cult of the hero and the creation of political problems and solutions); identify it at work in an example
Psychological Crystallization:
1. Propaganda reinforces and sharpens latent drives and sentiments.
2. Propaganda offers justifications or rationalizations that become eternal truths.
3. Propaganda creates psychological certainty that provides people with a neurotic rejection of other sources of information.
Alienation through Propaganda:
1. Propaganda pushes the individual into identification with a hero and/or into a fusion with the masses.
2. Propaganda robs individuals of the ability to make critical judgments.
3. Propaganda satisfies real needs in an artificial way.
4. Propaganda creates artificial needs, which it satisfies in a real way.
Example: Hitler is the every-man. His propaganda satisfies the real need of economic catastrophe with the fake need of anti-Semitism, and creates the artificial need of retribution against Jews, which is satisfied by acts of violence against Jews.
explain how propaganda contributes to political polarization; identify it at work in an example
Propaganda must fight “privatization”–the idea that personal needs come before the needs of the state. Thus, it must politicize every issue. At the same time, it must privatize opponents–make them feel like fighting will provide no benefit. However, in the end, propaganda in authoritarian and totalitarian states must convince the individual they do not have the skills to get involved in politics.
Example: The Republican Party in the United States today continues to politicize private issues in order to foster continuous, high-level, passionate engagement with the political system. For example, a single Republican operative made a crisis out of “CRT,” bringing children’s education back into the public, politicized conversation.
explain why propaganda is fundamentally at odds with democracy
Democracy’s Need of Propaganda: Though propagandistic practices seem incompatible with democracy, the democratic state needs propaganda to legitimate itself to the citizenry and to present a unified public front to the world.
B. Democratic Propaganda: Democratic propaganda generally: (1) allows for counterpropaganda, (2) respects the individual, (3) looks at all sides of an issue, and (4) reluctantly uses the tools of propaganda. Still, these principles are in tension with the demands of propaganda and often are violated.
C. Effects of International Propaganda: Propaganda only can shape the consciousness of foreigners through myth, which is an antidemocratic mode of communication.
D. Effects of Internal Propaganda: The state needs to dispense information, make coherent complex situations and events, convince citizens to behave in ways consistent with democracy. But the practices used to meet these needs drain citizens of their democratic character.
