Term Paper on "Propaganda in the 20th Century"
Term Paper 4 pages (1058 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
propaganda in the 20th Century see the "need" for propaganda, but I don't think I can completely agree with David Welch's argument that propaganda "had an essential, and not always dishonorable, role in the conduct of affairs in the 20th Century.My first reaction to Welsh's statement is to disagree with the part where he says that propaganda is not always dishonorable. The Institute for Propaganda Analysis named seven techniques: "Name-Calling, Glittering Generality, Transfer, Testimonial, Plain Folks, Card Stacking, and Band Wagon" (http://www.propagandacritic.com/articles/intro.ipa.html).I find none of those techniques to be particularly honorable.
The use of propaganda by a government to attempt to influence public opinion is natural, but I think some of the information presented about the use of propaganda by the British in World War I actually disproves Welch's assertion. He says that after the war, mistrust developed on the part of ordinary citizens who realized that conditions at the front had been deliberately obscured behind patriotic slogans and by 'atrocity propaganda' that had fabricated obscene stereotypes of the enemy."
Welch goes on to say that the British government later began to think that propaganda was dangerous to attempt during peacetime.
It is my feeling that the government may well have had good intentions when it began to spread its propaganda during World War I, but the fact that information was "deliberately obscured" and that other information had been fabricated did the government more harm in the long-run than the good it got in the short-term. First, while the war was won, the government was later n
download full paper ⤓
Second, it gave the Germans a source they could use to put out counter-propaganda. Also, if the British had chosen not to obscure and/or fabricate information and gotten the same effect, then the propaganda may have been honorable - but they didn't.
Welch later wrote that after 1945, "culture had been reduced to the lowest common denominator for the purposes of mass consumption," which made the public "vulnerable to manipulation." This may have been true for a period of years, but I think that changed after Watergate. People became more distrustful than ever of government, and they've passed that distrust down to their children and grandchildren, whether they realize it or not.
When Welch writes that "propaganda is most effective when it reinforces already held ideas and beliefs," I think he's right. The problem with that is that, though, is that the recipient of the propaganda has to be willing to receive it. If one is unwilling to believe the propaganda, it won't be effective. I think that's why so many people don't vote anymore - they're too cynical of the process and information they receive from those who want to hold office. For use on political activists on each end of the political spectrum, propaganda can be quite effective, but the disseminator of the propaganda isn't really influencing their opinions.
A found interesting… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Propaganda in the 20th Century" Assignment:
Propaganda in the 20th Century
Governments are sometimes the most enthusiastic users of mass communications, often using mass communication for propaganda purposes.
Read the article below and does some of your own research through Internet search engines. Then write a four-page paper answering the following question:
Do you agree that propaganda "has had an essential, and not always dishonorable, role in the conduct of affairs in the 20th century"?
Support your answer with references to the ethical implications of propaganda.
Powers of persuasion
History Today; London; Aug 1999; ***** Welch;
Abstract:
Welch argues that propaganda has had an essential, and not always dishonorable, role in the conduct of affairs in the 20th century. Typically, propaganda will utilize the latest methods of communication.
How to Reference "Propaganda in the 20th Century" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“Propaganda in the 20th Century.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2007, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/propaganda-20th-century/43500. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
Related Term Papers:
Propaganda History Is a Rather Difficult Subject Term Paper
Propaganda
History is a rather difficult subject to address. It is the result of forces and beliefs, of actions and people's attitudes, of societies and their interactions. However, the element… read more
Term Paper 8 pages (2629 words) Sources: 3 Style: APA Topic: Philosophy / Logic / Reason
Connection Between Music and Politics Essay
Music and Politics -- the Connections
Music has been used to promote particular political and ideological messages for many years. In the 20th century and well before, there are myriad… read more
Essay 5 pages (1635 words) Sources: 5 Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments
Propaganda in Pop Music Term Paper
Communications - Pop Music
Propaganda in Popular Music
Propaganda exists in more than government publications and specific public relations pieces. Propaganda and mass persuasion are present in all forms of… read more
Term Paper 7 pages (1867 words) Sources: 7 Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments
19th Century Art During Term Paper
19th Century Art
During the 19th century, a great number of revolutionary changes altered forever the face of art and those that produced it. Compared to earlier artistic periods, the… read more
Term Paper 7 pages (2176 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Art / Painting / Sculpture
Political Photography Research Proposal
Political Photography
The objective of this work is to answer the question of how changing shutter speeds and lenses on cameras through the 19th and 20th centuries affect use of… read more
Research Proposal 6 pages (1979 words) Sources: 20 Style: MLA Topic: Physics / Quantum Theory
Sat, Oct 5, 2024
If you don't see the paper you need, we will write it for you!
We can write a new, 100% unique paper!