A breakdown of the modes and tools of a propaganda machine. It was created to use in literature, history and politics courses.

1. PROPAGANDA

2. PROPAGANDA
The manipulation of groups of
people through information
and use of language .
Must include three basic
qualities:
(1.) Dehumanization of
one’s opponent, devaluing
their stance
(2.) Nationalization of
one’s audience, building a
boundary between “us” and
“them”
(3.) Works to produce
economic or political value
within a group or nation

3. Basic Qualities of
Propaganda –
DEHUMANIZATION
• Devalues the enemy or opponent
• Raises value of “Us” – because “We” are
not “Them”
• Takes away humanity of enemy or
opponent
• Compares opponent or enemy to lower
than human – animalistic
• Helps strengthen the boundary
between “Us” and “Them”

4. Basic Qualities of
Propaganda –
NATIONALIZATION
•Nationalizes the viewers into
a group “Us”
•Provides a common
opponent, enemy or cause –
”Them” -- for “Us” to fight
against together
•Strengthens the idea that
“Us” is valued higher than
“Them”
•Strengthens national,
ideological, or political
boundaries

5. Basic Qualities of Propaganda
– POPULARITY,
POLITICAL POWER, or
MONETARY PROFIT
• Strengthens the notion that “Our”
way is the correct way to think,
vote, follow, etc.
• Physically or socially strengthens
the differences between “Us” and
“Them”
• Provides power through profit
• Provides a political or economic
base for “Us”

6. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
GLITTERING GENERALITIES
• Words that have different
positive meaning for individual
viewers – linked to highly
valued concepts
• Words meant to demand
approval without thinking
• Accept words because of high
value of concept
• Examples: “equality now,” “for
your country” “freedom”
• Often occurs in political
propaganda
• Identified as a technique of
propaganda in 1938

7. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
ASSERTION
• An enthusiastic, forceful or
energetic statement presented as
fact
• Often implies that the statement
requires no explanation or
backing up, and should be
accepted without question
• The viewer should simply agree
with the statement without
question or searching for
additional information or
reasoning
• Often include falsehoods or lies
• Typically used in advertising

8. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
PINPOINTING THE ENEMY
• Most often used during
wartime, in political
campaigns and debates
• Attempts to simplify a
complex situation by
presenting a particular
person or group as the
opponent
• Viewer is expected to
view the situation in
clear-cut terms of right
and wrong

9. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
BANDWAGON
• Entices the viewer to follow the
crowd -- “Everyone is doing it”
• Convinces the subject that one side is
the right side by mass popularity –
“Majority rules”
• Victory is inevitable, defeat
impossible – “safety in numbers”
• Identified as a technique in 1938 by
the Institute for Propaganda Analysis
• One of the most common techniques
in both wartime, peacetime , and
modern advertising

10. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
LESSER OF TWO EVILS
• Attempts to convince
viewer of an idea or
proposal by presenting is as
the least offensive option
• Often employed during
wartime
• Convinces viewer of need
for sacrifice
• Justifies difficult decisions -
represented as the only
option or path in a bad
situation
• Typically blames enemy
country or political group

11. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
CARDSTACKING
• Selective omission –
presenting information that
is positive to one idea and
leaves out any different
points of view
• Uses the truth (without
stating differing truths) to
manipulate public
perspective
• Used in all forms of
propaganda to convince the
general public

12. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
NAME CALLING
• Occurs during wartime
and political situations
• Use of derogatory
language when describing
and enemy or opponent
• Attempts to arouse
prejudice in viewers by
labeling target as
something disliked
• Often employed using
sarcasm, ridicule,
political humor, cartoons,
satire

13. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
PLAINFOLKS
• Device attempts to convince viewer
that ideas reflect those of the
common person, so they must work
to benefit the general public
• Often attempts to target specific
viewers using jargon, idioms, or
common humor
• Attempts to create the illusion of
humility or “just-like-you humanity”
• Attempts to appear sincere and
spontaneous
• Effective when used with “glittering
generalities” – gives stance a higher
value, which are similar to the
viewers – for validation

14. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
STEREOTYPING / SIMPLIFICATION
• Reduces complex
situations into clear-cut
choices
• Usually involves conflicts
between good and evil
• Builds boundaries
between “us” and “them”
• Similar to Pinpointing the
Enemy - purposefully
used to sway uneducated
viewers

15. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
TESTIMONIALS
• Quotations or
endorsements (in or out
of context) that attempts
to connect a famous
person with a product,
idea, or item
• Connects a person or idea
with another item, person
or idea
• Often used in
advertisements and
political campaigns

16. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
TRANSFER
• Often used in politics and
during wartime
• Attempts to make a viewer see
a certain item or idea the
same way they look at another
item or idea – likes the two
ideas, images, or items in a
viewer’s mind
• Often used to transfer
blame, bad feelings, or
negative events
• First recognized as a technique
in 1938
• Closely related to Testimonials

17. CULT OF
PERSONALITY
•The development is the
development of a “heroic” or
“godlike” public image
IN LVING COLOR
•Main goal is to gain “Cult of
unconditional support of the Personality”
people – develops a “cult-like” Video Link
following of a nation’s citizens http://www.youtube
.com/watch?v=RZ5S
•Uses propaganda spread VDYBNrY
through the media (news,
posters, public service
announcements, etc.)
• Originated in 1965-70 as a
translation of the Russian
phrase “kulʾtíchnosti”
l
(dictionary.com)

18. What does this poster say to you? What techniques, themes,
and purposes are portrayed here? Include what images you
see, what they say to you. What messages is the artist trying to
portray? What does s/he want you to think or believe? (Poster
Title: Bricks in the Wall)

19. Bibliography
• www.youtube.com – last visited 6.29.09
• www.librarythinkquest.com – last visited
6.29.09
• www.lyricsfreak.com – last visited 6.29.09