Propaganda History and Types of Propaganda 1
(http://changingminds.org/techniques/propaganda/propaganda_history.htm)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda)
PROPAGANDA is an opinion or belief spread to
accomplish a goal. Companies use propaganda about their
products to increase sales. Governments use propaganda to
gain the support of their citizens for particular policies or
efforts. Propaganda can promote positive or negative ideas.
The Latin adjective propaganda, which is a form of the
gerundive of the verb propago (from pro- "forth" + *pag-,
root of pangere "to fasten"), means, "that which is to be
spread" and does not carry a connotation of information,
misleading or otherwise. Propaganda, in a narrower use of
the term, connotes deliberately false or misleading
information that supports or furthers a political (but not
only) cause or the interests of those with power. The
propagandist seeks to change the way people understand an
issue or situation for the purpose of changing their actions
and expectations in ways that are desirable to the interest
group.
EMOTIONAL APPEALS are a type of propaganda. They
play on the emotions of the audience. They offer evidence
that is generally not factual or reasonable. Instead, these
appeals use emotions such as sadness, fear or joy to draw in
the audience and make them do or feel something.
Propaganda is a powerful weapon in war; it is used to
dehumanize and create hatred toward a supposed enemy,
either internal or external, by creating a false image in the
mind. This can be done by using derogatory or racist terms,
avoiding some words or by making allegations of enemy
atrocities. Most propaganda wars require the home

Propaganda History and Types of Propaganda 2
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population to feel the enemy has inflicted an injustice,
which may be fictitious or may be based on facts. The
home population must also decide that the cause of their
nation is just.
RELIGIOUS PROPAGATION: The term 'propaganda'
first appeared in 1622 when Pope Gregory XV established
the Sacred Congregation for Propagating the Faith.
Propaganda was then as now about convincing large
numbers of people about the importance of a given set of
ideas.
PROPAGANDA AND WAR: Wars have always been a
good reason for governments wanting to persuade
populaces of the justness of their cause as well as hide the
horrors and failures of the front line. Misinformation and
disinformation are widely used to distract people from the
truth and create new realities.
Examples of Propaganda – not a complete list – people are
coming up with new ways to trick you all of the time:
1) Name Calling: Slurs and “snarl words” used to discredit
the opposition by appealing to hatred, fear, mistrust and
other negative emotions.
Example: “Those commie environmentalists aren’t trying
to save the spotted owl---they’re trying to ruin the
American economy! The traitors!”

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2) Glittering Generality: The opposite of name-calling.
The writer appeals to emotions like love, generosity and
trust to use “good names” to describe his side.
Example: “A vote for Senator Schwemp is a vote for
truth, justice, and the American Way of Life!”
3) The Transfer: The attempt to associate a product, cause
or idea with something that is generally admired, valued or
respected. The goal is that the virtue will transfer over to
the thing being promoted.
Example: “Abraham Lincoln Laxative---a name you can
trust!”
4) The Testimonial: A person’s reputation or fame is used
instead of evidence to support an idea, product or
candidate.
Example: “Be like Mike (Jordan)---Drink Gatorade!”
5) Plain Folks: Tries to associate the writer’s program or
product with the intended audience by appearing to just like
them.

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Example: “Betty Crocker makes her cakes just like you
do---with love!”
6) Card Stacking: Attempts to hide evidence against the
propagandist’s side or distort or oversimplify facts. Of
course, his side looks great. This kind of device is
probably hardest to spot, unless you know a lot about the
subject already.
Example: “The only way to meet our growing energy
needs is to rely on clean, safe, cheap, nuclear power.”
7) The Bandwagon: The appeal to popularity. Since
everybody else is doing it or buying it or believing it, you
should, too. Join the crowd.
Example: “Don’t let your friends find out that you were
the last one to try new Tigermint Gum!”
8) Vanity Fair: The use of implied flattery to persuade.
Use the product because you’re smart, beautiful, worth it,
etc. Advertisers are totally shameless about using this
device.
Example: “Andorprin tablets---for the headaches that
more intelligent people get.”
9) Techno-Dazzle Babble: The use of scientific or
authoritative-sounding words and phrases to impress us.

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(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda)
Often they have little meaning; they just sound great.
Example: “Drive the new Turbo GT and know that the
transeomatic pham is keeping flush with the Johnson rods
for more dynamic contortion!”
10) Appeal to fear: Appeals to fear seek to build support by
instilling anxieties and panic in the general population.
Example: “No colored allowed.” (A prominent sign
during Jim Crow laws)
11) Appeal to Prejudice: Using loaded or emotive terms to
attach value or moral goodness to believing the proposition.
Stereotyping or Name Calling or Labeling: This technique
attempts to arouse prejudices in an audience by labeling the
object of the propaganda campaign as something the target
audience fears, hates, loathes, or finds undesirable. For
instance, reporting on a foreign country or social group
may focus on the stereotypical traits that the reader expects,
even though they are far from being representative of the
whole country or group.
Example: "Any hard-working taxpayer would have to
agree that those who do not work, and who do not support
the community do not deserve the community's support

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through social assistance."
12) Argumentum ad nauseam: This argument approach
uses tireless repetition of an idea. An idea, especially a
simple slogan, that is repeated enough times, may begin to
be taken as the truth. This approach works best when
media sources are limited and controlled.
Example: The technique is described in a saying, often
attributed to Lenin, as "A lie told often enough becomes the
truth"
13) Black-and-White fallacy: Presenting only two choices,
with the product or idea being propagated as the better
choice.
Example: "You are either with us, or you are with the
enemy."
14) Direct order: This technique hopes to simplify the
decision making process by using images and words to tell
the audience exactly what actions to take, eliminating any
other possible choices. Authority figures can be used to
give the order, overlapping it with the Appeal to authority
technique, but not necessarily.
Example: The Uncle Sam "I want you" image is an
example of this technique.

Propaganda History and Types of Propaganda 7
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15) Red herring/Chewbacca Defense: Presenting data or
issues that, while compelling, are irrelevant to the argument
at hand, and then claiming that it validates the argument.
Example: Why would a Wookiee, an eight-foot tall
Wookiee, want to live on Endor, with a bunch of two-foot
tall Ewoks? That does not make sense! But more important,
you have to ask yourself: What does this have to do with
this case? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to
do with this case! It does not make sense!