COMS 361 - Propaganda.docx - Lesson 2: What is Propaganda?...

Lesson 2: What is Propaganda?
Propaganda as Eliciting “Yes”
 No matter what definition one adopts for propaganda, and Randal Marlin cites many of
them in Chapter 1, there are two fundamental constants in propaganda.
 The first constant is that propaganda ALWAYS seeks to elicit a “yes” from the targeted
audience
o “Yes, this is me.”
o “Yes, this is what I believe.”
o “Yes, I identify with that message.”
o “Yes, this speaks to my values.”
 The second constant is that propaganda ALWAYS necessitates some type of action for it
to be effective
 In this course, we will relate intent and effect: the intent of the propagandist and the
effect on his or her audience. In general terms, unless the intended end result is made
actual, propaganda in its fundamental form cannot exist. For it to constitute
propaganda, it must transcend the intent of the propagandist.
 If we examine propaganda solely according to the messages disseminated, the
campaigns devised and the media used in dissemination, we limit our understanding of
propaganda to something conceived by a propagandist but which provides no guarantee
of success
Propaganda and the Ethics of Persuasion
 By Randal Marlin (Carleton University)
 Jacques Ellul - wrote a book on propaganda that is very relevant to today even though it
was written 50 years ago
Comparing Definitions
 Randal Marlin
o “The organized attempt through communication to affect belief or action or
inculcate attitudes in a large audience in ways that circumvent or suppress an
individual’s adequately informed rational, reflective judgement.” (Marlin)
o The organized attempt:
o Through communication
o To affect belief or action
o Or inculcate attitudes
o In a large audience
o In ways that circumvent or suppress
o An individual’s adequately
o Informed, rational, reflective judgment
 Jacques Ellul
o “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,
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psychologically unified through psychological manipulations and incorporated in
an organization.” (Ellul)
o Benefits - comes to us from a different, European perspective
o In North American perspective, we tend to look at the intent of things and the
intentive behaviours
o Ellul looks at the behaviours and what actually happens, studying propaganda
from the effects of what happens around you
o Marlin starts off with the organized attempt, which tells you that there is some
definite control by an individual or some individuals in the organization - to
effect the attitudes of what already exists. Marlin also addresses a large
audience. His definition speaks of propaganda bypassing our judgement as we
reflect on it.