Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes

Description

From one of the greatest French philosophers of the 20th century, comes a seminal study and critique of propaganda. Taking not only a psychological approach, but a sociological approach as well, Ellul’s book outlines the taxonomy for propaganda, and ultimately, it’s destructive nature towards democracy. Drawing from his own experiences fighting for the French resistance against the Vichy regime, Ellul offers a unique insight into the propaganda machine. "A far more frightening work than any of the nightmare novels of George Orwell. With the logic which is the great instrument of French thought, [Ellul] explores and attempts to prove the thesis that propaganda, whether its ends are demonstrably good or bad, is not only destructive to democracy, it is perhaps the most serious threat to humanity operating in the modern world."—Los Angeles "The theme of Propaganda is quite simply . . . that when our new technology encompasses any culture or society, the result is propaganda . . . Ellul has made many splendid contributions in this book.”—Book Week Chapter 1 — The Characteristics of Propaganda 1. External Characteristics 2. Internal Characteristics 3. Categories of Propaganda Chapter II — The Conditions for the Existence of Propaganda 1. The Sociological Conditions 2. Objective Conditions of Total Propaganda Chapter III — Necessity for Propaganda 1. The State’s Necessity 2. The Individual’s Necessity Chapter IV — Psychological Effects of Propaganda Psychological Crystallization Alienation through Propaganda The Psychic Dissociation Effect of Propaganda Creation of the Need for Propaganda The Ambiguity of Psychological Effects Chapter V — The Socio-Political Effects 1. Propaganda and Ideology 2. Effects on the Structure of Public Opinion 3. Propaganda and Grouping 4. Propaganda and Democracy Appendix I — Effectiveness of Propaganda 1. Difficulties of Measuring Propaganda 2. Ineffectiveness of Propaganda 3. Effectiveness of Propaganda 4. The Limits of Propaganda Appendix II — Mao Tse-Tung’s Propaganda The War: From 1926 to 1949 Since 1949 Brainwashing Footnotes Bibliography