WHAT IS PROPAGANDA ?

Propaganda is a form of communication designed to influence opinions or religious issues, to encourage or discourage certains forms of behavior (such as not smoking).

Propaganda often presents facts selectively. Propaganda is generally an appeal to emotion. It shares techniques with advertising and public relations that promote a commercial product, political ideas.

The word comes from latin and originally referred to the biological reproduction of flora and fauna: the propagation of plants and animals.

In 17th century, the papacy established a special division: The Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. In the 18th and 19th centuries, propaganda took on greater importance in the political realm. Politicians and governments of all types recognized the importance of winning over and molding public opinion through propaganda and other methods of mass persuassion such as newspapers.

World War I discovered the propaganda for shaping public opinion and behavior. The term came to be perceived in a negative light and identified with lies, manipulation, and falsehood.

The nazis eliminated the „marketplace of ideas“ through terror and media manipulation and mobilized propaganda as a weapon to unite the german people around a „leader“ and to facilitate aggression, mass murder and genocide.

Since Word War II, television and the internet have increased the speed and spread of information globally. Websites and other online media have become major propaganda vehicles for private and governmental organizations. In the face of such a media barrage, consumers now, perhaps more than ever, must carefully and critically evaluate information in order to become better informed citizens.