Today we are exposed to enormous amounts of propaganda. The scale, purpose, or medium vary, from product promotion to forming a public opinion. Watching Russian TV channels I noticed that current events are portrayed in a way almost opposite to English or Spanish sources. In today’s post I’d like to review the goals of propaganda and its brief history.
What is propaganda?
My favorite Merriam Webster dictionary describes it as “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person”. In layman terms propaganda presents one view of an issue as it were an absolute truth. The message can be communicated in the form of artwork, films, speeches, or even music. Generally, governments or organizations are behind the propagating specific idea. The propaganda becomes obvious during times of war when victory or defeat can depend on public opinion.
The removal and relocation of Native Americans in 1830s, Nazi Germany propaganda machine, and The Cold War posters and publications are examples that come to mind when speaking about forming a public opinion. Propaganda on its own is neutral, that is to say, it can be positive or negative, solely depending on its use. For example, the vaccination campaigns or political ads during elections utilize different mechanisms of convincing masses. Modern propaganda strategies are used in advertising, public relations, and communications.
The word propaganda first was used in 17th century in Italy when Papacy created a special division – the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. The main goal of this department was to spread catholic beliefs, at the time it was competing with the Protestants to get new converts in. During the 18th and 19th centuries the propaganda was taking shape in its modern understanding. The two countries who first realized the power of mass media were Britain and the USA, then later to be joined by Soviet Union, Germany and China.
Worlds biggest wars WWI and WWII had seen the flourishment of misinformation, building of ideology, and psychological warfare. Throughout the history propaganda had taken different shapes. To enforce Arian supremacy the Third Reich had a special agency created called “Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda”. To influence masses Lenin had created a new concept of political agitation. To gain financial benefits from joining Atlantic and Pacific oceans the USA had utilized propaganda to convince public in building Panama Canal (more on this topic can be found in my other article “How Panama got its independence“). In the past couple centuries the role of propaganda can’t be underestimated.
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly – it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
Joseph Goebbels
Propaganda in Russia
Propaganda in Russia has deep roots within the government. One of the first who understood the value of controlling the masses was Lenin. Being a gifted orator he understood the significance of political agitation, the term that Britannica Encyclopedia explains as “the use of slogans, parables, and half-truths to exploit the grievances of the uneducated and the unreasonable”. The Cold War created a whole industry in the Soviet Union. Communist’s posters could be seen in factories and universities, socialists ideas found in books and movies. At the core of it was the ideology of Marxism-Leninism, the importance of collectivism and the concept of opposing Western Imperialism.
In modern Russia the main source of propaganda comes from the government sponsored TV channels. The great majority of the population still gets news from TV programs. Putin had quickly understood the simple rule – owning information agencies means controlling the public opinion. As soon as he got into the office the first signs of free press eradication started appearing. Probably the most famous case is the television channel NTV and its creator V. Gusinsky. On the premise of false accusations the oligarch had to sell the company, which essentially fell under government control. Since then the independent news broadcasting agencies become rarity.
With the start of the war in Ukraine, scarce oppositional media outlets that existed in Russia were closed last week. The most popular agencies: “Dozhd” and “Echo Moscow” were labeled as foreign sponsored spy agents. Hundreds of people in the journalism industry decided to flee the country for their own safety. The new law which forbids criticizing the military was created, approved, and signed in one day. The word “war” was prohibited to be used as well. The peaceful protests are crushed with brute force and to have an opinion challenging the official position is dangerous as never before. The majority of people are simply afraid to voice their thoughts. The ones who courageously protesting are risking everything: their lives (15 years in prison to be exact), their financial future, ostracizing by their family and friends.
Aren’t we all biased?
In today’s world we all are overwhelmed with information. As never before the reader needs to recognize the bias and apply critical thinking when evaluating information. The fact that each person sharing information has a bias opinion is inarguable, and that’s normal. It’s easier to trust something that we already believe in. Ideas which are similar to our own understandings reinforce our beliefs. Why should you believe me? You shouldn’t! You should employ critical thinking and review different sources, only then one can find a truth laying somewhere in between.