PROPAGANDA: HOW A GOOD WORD WENT WRONG

Abstract

What is propaganda and what is wrong with it? This may be the main question when studying this complex phenomenon. In this article we shall try to give an answer to this question and to find the most appropriate definition for this disputed concept. Nowadays, propaganda has a negative connotation and usually it is used to discredit somebody’s speech or actions, by implying that he is both illogical and unethical. But propaganda wasn’t seen always like that! In order to give an objective definition of this concept, it is very important for us to understand first what exactly happened with this word throughout history.

Keywords

• propaganda
• manipulation
• persuasion
• communication
• mass media