Propaganda

“The 20th century has been characterized by three

developments of great political importance. The
growth of democracy; the growth of corporate
power; and the growth of corporate propaganda as a
means of protecting corporate power against
democracy.” – Alex Carey

“Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is

to a totalitarian state.” – Noam Chomsky
Propaganda: A Short History
• The term propaganda originated within the Catholic church in the early
17th century and was used to refer to the propagation of the Christian
religion
• In the 19th century, the word began to be used in a secular (non-religious)
context to refer to political messaging that is used to influence a
population in order to further an agenda
• Propaganda often involves deception and manipulation, and may include
some of the informal fallacies we examined in class (e.g. the appeal to
emotion or ad hominem attacks)
• The modern history of propaganda can be traced to the experience of the
First World War, and specifically to an organization called the Creel
Commission
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouNv9pluZxg
• Following Germany’s defeat in the war, Adolf Hitler was so impressed with
the success of Anglo-American propaganda that he decided to copy it…
Wartime Propaganda: WWI
Wartime Propaganda: WWII
 Propaganda Gets a Bad Name
• In the aftermath of WWII, propaganda became
something of a ‘bad word’
• Nevertheless, politicians and businessmen both
recognized its importance and decided to continue
using it under a different name
• Instead of propaganda we now say public relations
or advertising
What is a euphemism? Why do we use them?
 PR and Advertising Today
• Approximately 600 billion dollars were spent on
advertising in 2015 and 10 billion on public
relations
• Whereas advertising is typically related to the
marketing of a specific product or service, public
relations involves the maintenance of a favourable
public image by a company, organization or
individual
Why do companies spend money on advertising
and public relations?
 Fabricating Consumers
• Although some economists would claim otherwise, the
primary purpose of advertising is to delude and misinform
consumers (and hence undermine markets)
• Consumerism has become something akin to a secular religion
in the United States and other Western industrialized
countries
• This has had the effect not only of increasing sales of products
(the ostensible purpose of advertising) but also promoting a
particular worldview (treating people as atomized consumers)
• Advertising has hence functioned to divert the energies and
attention of people and allowing elites a freer hand in making
policy
 What Would an Honest Ad Look
Like?
• Coca Cola can be purchased from the following retailers:
Migros, Makro Market, BIM etc.
• The suggested retail price is 2 TL for a 355 ml can
• Coca Cola contains the following ingredients:

• Instead we get this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2msbfN81Gm0
 The Evolution of Political
Propaganda
• Whereas in the past, governments often made their propaganda explicit,
it has become less so in many societies over time
• Instead of openly stating the propaganda line (e.g. Soviet socialism will
soon overtake the West), propaganda has become implicit within many
policy discussions and debates
• Example:
“Instead of relying on boots on the ground, we should take advantage of
our technological superiority and prosecute the war from the skies above,
utilizing aerial dominance and bombing the enemy into submission.”
“Ground troops constitute a vital part of our military arsenal and we should
not shy away from using them. These troops can help to provide security
and training to allied forces as well as projecting an image of strength and
resolve on our part in conducting this war.”
What is the unstated assumption in the above debate?
 The Manufacture of Consent
What does it mean to manufacture (v)? What is
consent (n)? What do you think the title of this
slide means?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfEwIYB0EMY