Contribution to a comenius project

1. Question n.1What is propaganda?
 PROPAGANDA comes from Latin verb propago
‘something that has to be narrated.’
 Nowadays Propaganda is the use of various
media to influence public opinion by presenting
selective information, or lying by omission.
 Although it’s very elusive, propaganda can be
defined as the deliberate, systematic attempt to
shape perceptions, manipulate cognition, and
direct behaviour to achieve a response that
helps to reach the desired aim of the
propagandist.

2. Question n.2When did it start to be used?
 It can be traced back to Darius (around 515
BC).Themistocles or Alexander from ancient
Greece as well as Caesar were considered
quite adept to propaganda.

3. Question n.3Who mostly used it?Why?
 During the 16-17th century it was mostly used by
Catholic and Protestant Churches.
 Since the IWorldWar Propaganda was strengthened
by European governments and the U.S.A.
 Propaganda was intristic to totalitarian ideologies.
 Propaganda was often used for depicting each
country’s enemy, both internal and external ones, real
or created, and to raise fear or hate towards them.
 When governments use propaganda they brainwash
people.

4. Question n.4What does an enemy usually look
like?
 In some countries the enemy looks like a
monster they are usually bigger and uglier than
normal people, e.g., in Italy the enemy often
looks like a spider or a vampire.
 In other countries enemies are not monsters.
They’re herald of all sorts of corruption in a
society. In Poland, for instance, those who
opposed the communist government were
shown as destroyers of everything the society
struggled for.

5. Question n.5 Is propaganda true?Why/Why not?
 The basic information in propaganda might be true, but
propaganda always exaggerates it. It depends on the point
of view. But more often propaganda is just made up from
prejudice.
 For example, during WW II the Jews were painted with big
hands because people thought of them as thieves to
instigate people against them!
 Propaganda is often a caricature, that’s why it is usually
untrue.
 In Spain during the CivilWar both the Republicans and the
Nationalists used to decrease the number of casualties
from their side and increase those from the other side.

6. Question n.6What kind of tools does
propaganda rely upon?
 The main tools used were paintings and
sculptures up to the 16th century, pamphlets
and the press from the 17th century, posters,
newspapers (19th century), the radio andTV in
20th century and the Internet at present.

7.  Propaganda was used during the wars.
 It is used to manipulate or convince to some
beliefs.
 Children are sometimes used in propaganda.
 School was used to brainwash students.
 Propaganda is very often based on black and
white/ we and them/ good and bad.

8.  Propaganda often uses fear.
 Propaganda is a way to give information.
 Propaganda was used to get war loans.
 Propaganda was different in world war I and
II. (Sweden: no military propaganda)