What is Propaganda?

Propaganda comes in many forms, but it always has the following characteristics:

Back to Contents

persuasive function

sizeable target audience

representation of a specific group’s agenda

use of faulty reasoning and/or emotional appeals

What is Propaganda?

Propaganda is a kind of persuasive and widespread message designed to represent the interests of a particular group.

It attempts to bypass logic through faulty reasoning and emotional appeals.

The same approach that convinces us to buy a certain brand of toothpaste one day may be used the next day to incite nuclear war. That is why it is important to know how to recognize and analyze propaganda.

Back to Contents

Part 1: Assertion

Assertion is the simplest form of propaganda. It consists of simply stating a debatable idea as a fact, with no explanation

George Orwell’s fictional study of propaganda and mind control, 1984, contains an example of the assertion technique. In the novel, the following three slogans of “the Party” are emblazoned on the walls of the Ministry of Truth building:

Back to Contents

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS

STRENGTH

Part 2: Bandwagon

In modern usage, the term “bandwagon effect” refers to any situation in which people attempt to be part of a successful or popular endeavor merely for the sake of its popularity.

Back to Contents

The phrase “jumping on the bandwagon” was used to describe this phenomenon, and eventually the term was used outside the political realm.

Five million members and growing!

Thousands of satisfied customers can’t be wrong.

Part 3: Card Stacking

This poster illustrates the card-stacking technique. It emphasizes the travel and adventure involved in serving in the Marine Corps, while de-emphasizing the considerable sacrifice required.

Back to Contents

Part 3: Card Stacking

In this example, in addition to revealing the woman’s weight loss, the “after” photograph also reveals card-stacking efforts. In the second photo, the subject’s hair is styled differently, and she is wearing makeup and jewelry.

Back to Contents

Part 4: Glittering Generalities

Glittering generalities is a colorful term for the appealing but vague words that often appear in propaganda.

Back to Contents

This World War I poster requests billions of dollars in the name of “Liberty.” Here, “liberty” is a glittering generality—a pleasant

term that is used in an overly vague manner.

Part 5: False Dilemma

In this kind of propaganda:

Back to Contents

One product always works, and the other never works.

One group intends to save the country, and the other

is trying to ruin it.

Part 6: The Lesser of Two Evils

In order to make the choice more appealing, an even worse alternative is presented as the only other option. It is argued that an imperfect option is, at any rate, better than the horrendous alternative.

Back to Contents

You don’t want to drive a fuel-efficient automobile?

Try living under a terrorist regime!

Part 6: The Lesser of Two Evils

The lesser of two evils technique is most effective when one of the possible choices is truly awful, as in this poster, which pits frugality against fascism.

Back to Contents

Part 7: Name-Calling

Consider the words above, each of which is used as a derogatory term for a certain type of person. Do any of the words evoke an emotional response?

Back to Contents

PIG! EGGHEAD! REDNECK!

Part 8: Pinpointing the Enemy

This 1854 painting by William Holman Hunt, “The Scapegoat,” illustrates the origins of the term—the ancient Hebrew tradition of driving a goat into the wilderness on Yom Kippur to carry away the people’s sins.

Back to Contents

Back to Contents

Part 9: Plain Folk

Common techniques include:

using colloquial phrases or dialects

expressing emotion or sentimentality

using words such as “home,” “children,” or “dinner table” that

evoke the idea of the average family

taking on an appearance of shyness, or a seeming reluctance to

take the spotlight or a position of leadership

Back to Contents

Part 10: Testimonials

Testimonials are a form of propaganda that is familiar to nearly everyone. Almost everything that is advertised comes with some sort of testimonial, from music to hair gel to politicians.

Testimonials take advantage of the fact that there are certain people we tend to trust—even if that trust is based on mere recognition, rather than true credibility.

An Olympic gold medalist claims that she eats Golden Flakes every morning.

Back to Contents

Part 10: Testimonials

Movie stars and models are often paid to give testimonials in which they attribute their beauty or success to a given product.

Back to Contents

Part 11: Transfer

In this method, the propagandist encourages the transfer of feelings and associations from one idea, symbol, or person to another.

Also known as “association” and “false connection,” transfer is closely related to the testimonial technique.

Back to Contents

Part 11: Transfer

Some symbols are fairly straightforward.

The Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant represent the ideologies of their respective parties.

A dove signals peace.

The symbol of the skull and crossbones warns the viewer of danger or calls to mind the violent pillaging of a pirate raid.