Propaganda (book)

Propaganda is one of the most important works of Edward L. Bernays, a founder of modern public relations industry. First published in 1928, it marked a standard for the modern PR work and does so to this day.

Propaganda among others forms the basis for Bernays " Big Think " PR campaigns that were distinguished by the fact that it involves a large number of actors with in the PR campaigns. The new propaganda by Bernays recognized the public in their thinking and acting not just as isolated individuals, but as tightly intertwined structure of interdependent cells:

"They [the new propaganda techniques ] to deal not only with the individual or society as a whole. They devote themselves rather well, especially the anatomy of society, with its countless, branched and interwoven groupings. You can see the individual not only as a cell within the company, but as a cell, which is organized social units. If the nerve of the organism 'Company' at a sensitive point gereitzt, a response is automatically caused by this organism in certain other elements. "(P. 34)

These mechanisms have been used not only in the 1930s by the Nazis, particularly Reich Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, but also work today so to include the population to motivate for the conduct of war or to address increasingly in the mass media specific content.

Bernays saw not only the technical possibilities for a national control of public opinion given, but also the need to do this:

"The more complex our civilization becomes, and the more clearly shows how necessary are working in the background governing bodies, the more consistently the technical means to control the public mind are developed and used. Using the printing press, newspaper, railroad, telephone, telegraph, radio and aircraft can quickly thought, even at the same time be used throughout the country. "(P. 21)

Introduction

Have become known in particular the first lines of the first chapter " Organizing Chaos " (Eng. The chaos organize ):

" The conscious and purposeful manipulation of the behavior and attitudes of the masses is an essential part of democratic societies. Organizations that work behind the scenes, directing the social processes. They are the actual governments in our country.

We are ruled by people whose names we have never heard of. They influence our opinions, our tastes, our thoughts. But this is not surprising, this state is only a logical consequence of the structure of our democracy: When many people as possible should smoothly together in a society that control processes of this kind are inevitable.

The invisible rulers also usually do not know each other by name. The members of the shadow cabinet govern us because of their innate leadership qualities, their ability of the company much needed impetus to, and because of the key positions they occupy in society. Whether we like it or not, the fact is that we are in almost all aspects of daily life, whether in business or politics, our social conduct or our ethical attitudes, depending on one ( in the face of 120 million U.S. citizens ) relatively small group of people which is used by most processes and social dynamics of crowds. You control the public opinion, strengthen old social forces and consider new ways to hold the world together and to lead. " ( On page 19 of the first translated into German version, orange press 2007)