Blog #9 Propaganda

The History of Propaganda

Propaganda is everywhere. It is the the spreading of information such as facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or lies to influence public opinion. This information is often conveyed through mass media. It may sound like a modern day issue, but this concept actually dates back to the Rise of Athens in BCE. It wasn’t called propaganda back then but it was still the same idea. There wasn’t commercials or posters hanging around Greece at the time, but the citizens would spread the word of their conflicting ideas through games, theater, the assembly, the law courts, and even festivals. It was a way to spread their conflicting political or religious views in ways that would get to all their people. For example the theater. There has been documentation of plays in Ancient Greece where they would slander the names of their rulers during heightened political tension- the same way a political propaganda poster would during World War II in the United States. Moving forward a couple hundred years to the Spanish Armada in 1588, we see more propaganda that resembles what we would see today. There was documents where the King of Britain stated his soldiers received pamphlets and letters spreading false rumors and slandering the name of the crown. Still, it was not referred to as propaganda until 1622 when the term was actually established. This is when The College of Propaganda began, a college that trained Priests on how to go to “heathen lands” and regulate church affairs when a commission of cardinals were charged with the idea of spreading the faith and their own ideas to these lands. It was a long history for the establishing of propaganda, there is a clear path that we can see the diffusion of this idea throughout history for it becoming what we see today.

Fast forward to 1914, World War I. This is when propaganda become apparent in the United States. There was conflicting ideas about the war and people took to the streets to express their feelings. By plastering posters, handing out pamphlets, and even putting these images in the local newspapers. Looking to World War II, Japan actually adapted this idea of propaganda as a form of warfare. It was a mental play against the soldiers who were abroad, according to the Museum of Veterans, propaganda was used as an “effective battlefield propaganda can use stereotypes, rumors, and half-truths to play upon the hopes and worries of soldiers”. This became true for many countries throughout the war, utilizing propaganda as a mental warfare against both soldiers and citizens. It became more than just a poster on the street, it changed the course of history. 

Propaganda Today

Even today, we still see propaganda everyday. It has shaped our society in more ways than any of us could have imagined. It heightens the stress of societal debates as well. Every time you see a billboard regarding pro-life or pro-choice, that is propaganda. It is a way of spreading one side of a debate to masses of people. It is a first amendment right, to share your opinions but it can be seen as detrimental to society as a increases bias and the divide between people. Propaganda is very prominent to minority groups as well, whether it be positive or negative to their groups its prevalent in their culture to be featured. Going back to times of segregation and Jim Crow laws, propaganda was a huge part of the segregation that existed in the United States as it emphasized the extremes of the political views- most of which were negative. 

Propaganda is more than just what we learned about in AP U.S. history back in high school, it is relevant today and everyday. You see it everywhere, wether you noticed or not. 

What has propaganda influenced you to do?