The power of propaganda to move the masses is a fascinating topic. Edward Bernays, who was the nephew of Sigmund Freud, mastered his uncle’s theory of mass behavior, which implies that people have uncontrollable inner forces. Bernays took it to heart and single-handedly created human “desires” and “needs.” He deftly manipulated the psychology of people – that we like to be seen as what others think of us.
His power of propaganda liberated women in early 1900s through the campaign of “Freedom of Torches.” The businessmen used his ideas of human appeal after FDR was re-elected in 1936 to defend their interest against FDR’s notion of social actions and government power. The result was a successful World Fair. To promote the fair, Bernays used the message that democracy only survives in capitalism. GM used massive parades of cars cross country to promote not just cars but manufactured needs and desires of people.
Jospeh Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, adored Bernays’ ideals and FDR’s New Deal. He orchestrated the unity of mass through effective propaganda messages and techniques. Despite the atrocities and painful consequences of his brutal actions, Hitler’s use of propaganda to unite people remains a captivating issue.
Here’s a link to a brilliant documentary called “The Triumph of Will.” It shows the persuasive power of Hitler’s propaganda.
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