History of Propaganda

[SysOut]

Arthur Ponsonby | Falsehood in War-Time, 1928 | Propaganda First World War | WWI Resource Centre
This is available as the book on archive.org - I'll post the urls to the books if you want.

For me propaganda started with Christianity and the Romans.

The modern use of the word propaganda, I believe, comes from discounting official government statements simply because the government in question was the enemy. Thus Germany's Blue Books giving its side of how WW1 started were to be discounted becuase it was Germany saying it.

George W. Bush's response to Iraq's denial of having weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was "Well, they would say that, wouldn't they?" even though weapons inspectors hadn't found any proof of WMD and all the USA's proofs were shown to fraudulous.

During the occupation there was news which was simply killed after a general had given the armies explanation - or after some privates were court-martialed as scapegoats.

The book above covers most of the issues we face nowadays, including ones we constantly tolerate - such being expected to believe something without the slightest effort at giving hard, objective proof.

I seriously recommend that people should read Richard Austin Freeman's books featuring Dr. Thorndyke, which apart from guaranteeing you'll never want to read Sherlock Holmes again, really helps in critical thinking regarding assumptions and facts.
Freeman gives all the facts needed to solve the case being investigated in about the first third of the book. They are well hidden of course, just as the assumptions are easily accepted. Anyone who understands the expression "Don't assume someone else has bought the map" will understand how some of the assumptions are served up.
On the side, Freeman's books are interesting for Londoners because all references to places are real places apart from the very road where the crime took place (didn't want to spoil house prices for the residents). He wrote from 1905 up to and including WW2 so there's quite a bit of social and urban history. Some of the plots are marred by racism, but he corrected that in his last two novels.

Arthur Ponsonby's book should be part of the national curriculum.

Some quotes from the intro:

The object of this volume is not to cast fresh blame on authorities and individuals, nor is it to expose one nation more than another to accusations of deceit. Falsehood is a recognized and extremely useful weapon in warfare, and every country uses it quite deliberately to deceive its own people, to attract neutrals, and to mislead the enemy. The ignorant and innocent masses in each country are unaware at the time that they are being misled, and when it is all over only here and there are the falsehoods discovered and exposed. As it is all past history and the desired effect has been produced by the stories and statements, no one troubles to investigate the facts and establish the truth.

Lying, as we all know, does not take place only in war-time. Man, it has been said, is not "a veridical animal," but his habit of lying is not nearly so extraordinary as his amazing readiness to believe. It is, indeed, because of human credulity that lies flourish. But in war-time the authoritative organization of lying is not sufficiently recognized. The deception of whole peoples is not a matter which can be lightly regarded.

A useful purpose can therefore be served in the interval of so-called peace by a warning which people can examine with dispassionate calm, that the authorities in each country do, and indeed must, resort to this practice in order, first, to justify themselves by depicting the enemy as an undiluted criminal; and secondly, to inflame popular passion sufficiently to secure recruits for the continuance of the struggle. They cannot afford to tell the truth. In some cases it must be admitted that at the moment they do not know what the truth is.

The psychological factor in war is just as important as the military factor. The morale of civilians, as well as of soldiers, must be kept up to the mark. The War Offices, Admiralties, and Air Ministries look after the military side. Departments have to be created to see to the psychological side. People must never be allowed to become despondent; so victories must be exaggerated and defeats, if not concealed, at any rate minimized, and the stimulus of indignation, horror, and hatred must be assiduously and continuously pumped into the public mind by means of "propaganda."

As Mr. Bonar Law said in an interview to the United Press of America, referring to patriotism, "It is well to have it properly stirred by German frightfulness"; and a sort of general confirmation of atrocities is given by vague phrases which avoid responsibility for the authenticity of any particular story, as when Mr. Asquith said (House of Commons, April 27, 1915) : "We shall not forget this horrible record of calculated cruelty and crime."

The use of the weapon of falsehood is more necessary in a country where military conscription is not the law of the land than in countries where the manhood of the nation is automatically drafted into the Army, Navy, or Air Service. The public can be worked up emotionally by sham ideals. A sort of collective hysteria spreads and rises until finally it gets the better of sober people and reputable newspapers.

 

[Pickman's model]

propaganda started well before the romans and christians. try 'munitions of the mind', a history of propaganda

as for not wanting to read sherlock holmes anymore, i can't conceive of a book that'd do that - sherlock holmes is fascinating on a range of levels and not simply the ratiocination for which those stories are famous

 

[SysOut]

propaganda started well before the romans and christians

Yes, that is well known, but when I say "for me" it is because there is a continuous chain of propaganda down to the present day from roman times, with the same institutions serving as a reference - look at the USA, Russia and elsewhere - religion still has a strong hold on people. The expression "European Values" is a direct reference to this continuity - even there in the name of months etc.
Indeed Oxford still required knowledge of latin as an entry requirement well into the 20th century and it is still the church that has to bless the inauguration of the head of state...

Btw - I prefer to refer to books which are freely available, as you see.

 

[Pickman's model]

Yes, that is well known, but when I say "for me" it is because there is a continuous chain of propaganda down to the present day from roman times, with the same institutions serving as a reference - look at the USA, Russia and elsewhere - religion still has a strong hold on people. The expression "European Values" is a direct reference to this continuity - even there in the name of months etc.
Indeed Oxford still required knowledge of latin as an entry requirement well into the 20th century and it is still the church that has to bless the inauguration of the head of state...

Btw - I prefer to refer to books which are freely available, as you see.

If you're going to condescend so at least be accurate. In less than 30 seconds I found that munitions of the mind is freely, on the Internet archive and via the z library.

 

[SysOut]

If you're going to condescend so at least be accurate. In less than 30 seconds I found that munitions of the mind is freely, on the Internet archive and via the z library.

Why don't you believe that I am sincere? I searched my sources - and it ain't there.
Internet archive is only for reading - not downloading.
Can you give the url for Z-library?

 

[ouirdeaux]

Indeed Oxford still required knowledge of latin as an entry requirement well into the 20th century

What this has to do with propaganda is a mystery, at least to me. What lies were being propagated by this requirement, and for the benefit of whom or what?

 

[SysOut]

If you're going to condescend so

Oh dear - we have a problem - you are projecting.

Perhaps one day one can discuss something in the spirit of Ponsonby without this fucking internet antagonism which infects everybody - get to the subject under discussion - hmm?

 

[SysOut]

What this has to do with propaganda is a mystery,

I mentioned it to show continuity since roman times.
That's all.
We could ask ourselves what was the need for it.

 

[seventh bullet]

propaganda started well before the romans and christians. try 'munitions of the mind', a history of propaganda

as for not wanting to read sherlock holmes anymore, i can't conceive of a book that'd do that - sherlock holmes is fascinating on a range of levels and not simply the ratiocination for which those stories are famous

Looks interesting, thanks.

 

[Pickman's model]

Why don't you believe that I am sincere? I searched my sources - and it ain't there.
Internet archive is only for reading - not downloading.
Can you give the url for Z-library?

Yeh on the internet archive you can't download it (although there's many thousands of other books you can, I've downloaded hundreds from there). But it is er freely available, you don't have to pay a penny for it. As for the z library google it yourself, wouldn't want to make editor party to linking to a site which spits in the face of copyright

 

[Pickman's model]

Oh dear - we have a problem - you are projecting.

Perhaps one day one can discuss something in the spirit of Ponsonby without this fucking internet antagonism which infects everybody - get to the subject under discussion - hmm?

I am projecting nothing more than a reluctance to be condescended to. I think I've done you quite a good turn by bringing the z library to your attention