I. The Struggle for Perceptions

An obvious example of political propaganda and its effects is the graphic campaign driven by the Nazi party in Germany. In this representation, Hitler promises the German people: "Give me four years [and I will change the fate of the nation]."

Among equals, there is no hierarchy. In unbalance order becomes possible. Since the first men joined in groups, politics have existed. Who commands? Who decides? Politics is “the struggle for power and peace”;[1] that is the conflict for achieving preeminence and for establishing an order favorable to keep dominance and legitimacy.

In order to achieve supremacy over their rivals, political groups* are capable and willing to use whichever resource they can reach. Where the strong prevails and the weak perishes —where politics infuse reality—, there is no law but the right of the dominant over the dominated. As the Athenians told the Melians, “[…] the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.”[2] Thus, as the struggle is fought in every field, every angle represents a flank in this war for preeminence. One of this flanks is human perceptions.

The man is ruled by two basic instincts: phobos (fear) and kerdos (self-interest).[3] In order to achieve its goals, political units have to deal with them and use them in their favor. Propaganda is a way of modeling others’ perceptions, to infuse ideas in their minds. This political instrument can be used either with allies, neutrals, or foes; as a means to increase internal cohesion, loyalty, and legitimacy, or as an instrument to infuse feelings of fear, despair, and submission.

By leaving understandable, clear, quick, blunt messages in the shape of shared symbols on public fora, ideas become spread. The recipients interpret the meaningful shapes before them; judge the symbols; and acquire the information. The more impressive —the more imposing— the more efficiently the message penetrates. Propaganda’s power rests on the probability of its emotional reception.

This instrument of power is mainly a preemptive one. By exerting power in this way, the political unit expects to avoid future, direct, open conflict; shaping perceptions by this means does not imply the complete conviction of the recipient, but rather the infusion of an idea of superiority and menace over the other by the political diffuser, as it will be shown later in this essay.