Nothing will enable a citizen to understand politics, influence policies and participate in the formulation and expression of public opinion more than a proper understanding of the meanings and significance of propaganda in the modem State. A distinguishing feature of the modern State is the use, misuse and even abuse of propaganda. Propaganda is a technique of influencing public opinion. Public opinion influences the policy of the modern State, while propaganda influences the public opinion. History of Propaganda:
Propaganda has always existed in human history. In the ages, it was conducted on person-to-person basis, by means of face-to-face talks or conversations and speeches. In modem times, however, it is conducted through the devices of high technology and the media of mass communications, such as press, radio, cinema, television and now even by the earth-girdling satellites. It is, indeed, stock-in-trade of the political parties, pressure groups and other opinion-makers and leaders as well as of the commercial publicity-men and advertisers.
The term “propaganda” was first used by the Roman Catholic Church in its war of words against the revolting Protestants. It established an organisation, called Congregatio de Propaganda Fide (Congregation for Propaganda of the Faith), which was a committee of the cardinals to carry on Christian missionary work. The term acquired a derogatory sense when the British, French and American Allies in their war against Imperial Germany during the First World War, used propaganda among German troops so skilfully as to bring about the defeat of Germany.
The Germans during the inter-war years, led by the Nazi Party, asserted that Germany was not defeated on the fields of battle but by the “swindle” of the Allies propaganda. To counter such attempts, Nazi Germany set up a ministry of propaganda which was controlled by the notorious Nazi propagandist, Dr. Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister of the Nazi dictator, Hitler, who perfected a propaganda device, which he called ‘big lie’. He claimed that tho bigger the lie, the more readily the people believed it to be true.
Before modern political propaganda began, commercial propaganda in the form of publicity and advertisement had come into usr after the industrials Revolution of the early nineteenth century. Modern large scale industry- produce such an abundant quantities of goods that they can be sold only by means of large scale commercial publicity and advertisement, on which billions of dollars are spent every year in the industrialised countries of the world, e.g. USA, Japan and Western Europe. But here we are concerned only with the political propaganda, carried on by governments, political parties, leaders and others.
The immense influence of propaganda was realised, for instance, by the Soviet leaders. They use it in two senses as “propaganda” and “agitator .1”. By propaganda they mean the “reasoned use of historical and scientific arguments to indoctrinate the educated and the intelligent”, while “agitation” means the use of emotional slogans, parables and half truths to influence the uneducated and the unreasonable. Accordingly, a standard Soviet manual is issued for teachers of sciences, entitled “For the Propagandist of Political Economy”-and a pocket-sized booklet called Bloknot Agitora (The Agitator’s Notebook) is issued weekly to be used in speeches and conversation among the masses.
In present times, the technological revolution and the information explosion have made propaganda the most powerful political weapon of almost all the States and government, political parties, pressure groups, commercial enterprises and corporations, used both internally within the country and externally against other countries, governments, parties and groups. For this reason a ministry or department is established in many countries which is variously called ministry of propaganda, information, public relations or of public enlightenment.
Definition:
In modem times propaganda has become the chief factor in the process of manufacturing public opinion. It is defined as “the spreading of ideas which we want people to believe, whether such ideas are true or not.” It is an effort to make a ‘public opinion’ favourable to a particular party or interest. It is an instrument of social control by forming opinion or ideas. It is the utilisation of words, objects or persons in an attempt to influence or control the opinion and actions of the individuals and groups. Propaganda is the psychological weapon in the hands of the political power (and if it is a commercial publicity the commercial interest or organisation).