Is understanding propaganda a necessary skill for modern democracy?

Propaganda is not simply a tool of manipulation, and, in fact, a professor of communication suggests it may even be a necessary skill for any citizen to address global challenges.

After carrying out extensive research examining the role of mass persuasion in an era of viral videos, social media campaigns, and global messaging, Professor Nathan Crick says propaganda has become an inescapable part of modern life.

In Propaganda: The Basics, Professor Crick suggests propaganda is not merely a tool of deception and instead should be understood as a fundamental aspect of mass communication in a technological society.

Redefining propaganda for the digital age

For many, propaganda carries negative connotations, suggesting hate speech, coercion, and manipulation. Crick argues it is time to return the word closer to its original meaning, "to propagate," which is a technique of modern, mass persuasion.

"We must come to terms with the larger implication that, in the digital age, all of us consume and often produce propaganda on a daily basis, sometimes unwittingly, but more often deliberately and eagerly," he advises.

"Much of what we willingly consume is propaganda, and what makes it propaganda is not necessarily the fact that it is exploitative and full of disinformation (although it very well might be), but because it makes use of a repertoire of persuasive techniques adapted to a mass audience."

For Crick, propaganda is unavoidable in modern society, affecting even those who actively try to avoid it. Traditional definitions focusing solely on lies and manipulation prove inadequate for understanding modern propaganda's complexity and reach.

Instead, he suggests that understanding propaganda techniques has become essential for democratic participation. In fact, citizens can learn to use these techniques ethically to promote positive social change.

"Only when we accept propaganda as part of our lives can we begin to actively criticize and resist manipulation, push back against the tide of disinformation, and master the arts of persuasion on our own to make society more democratic and more just," he explains.

The psychology of propaganda

People need to understand the motivations behind believing propaganda, and the tactics employed, because until we can understand the basic propaganda tactics and persuasive appeals, we will neither be able to resist nor improve it.

Research shows that the reason why propaganda is so effective lies in our human behavior. Different messages can tap into people's innate need to belong, or to be successful, or to keep themselves safe, while at the same time offering only simple solutions that promote snap judgments.

Propaganda is achieved by bypassing the central route pathway that employs reasoning and investigation to reach a decision. Instead, propaganda takes the peripheral route. This peripheral route is akin to reflex, and propaganda stimulates a reflexive action in mass audiences.

Some of the foundations of human motivation used by propaganda to alter beliefs and behavior include: compensatory substitutes, which involves tapping into impulses and desires; group mind, which involves raising our status in the eyes of others; and cognitive dissonance, in which propaganda makes the person aware of tensions within ourselves to create discomfort and then provide an easy and manageable way to resolve them.

Propaganda uses simple cues to ensure a reflexive response. This means providing vivid examples of situations that demonstrate complex concepts and encourage certain paths of action. Propaganda is also most influential when it addresses individuals in a mass context, when they are hurried, distracted, and immersed in a crowd.

These aspects of human nature, combined with technology such as data-driven psychological insights and instant access to huge audiences via social media, make propaganda a powerful tool in modern times.

Call to action

As global challenges require collective action, understanding propaganda becomes increasingly crucial, and instead of attempting to eliminate propaganda, Crick believes society should strive to understand its techniques, be on guard against its abuses, and harness it for constructive purposes.

Propaganda: The Basics aims to help equip people with the tools to analyze propaganda messages critically, recognize persuasion techniques, and use propaganda effectively for positive social change.

"In a message-dense, interconnected digital environment that crosses national borders, one of the primary means of expressing social, economic, and political power is through propaganda. I believe that democratic society benefits when more people, not less, master the arts of persuasion and use it as a vehicle for exerting influence in their world," he says.

"The future is not one free of propaganda," concludes Crick. "It is a future in which we have all mastered the techniques of propaganda so that they no longer have the power to master us."

For example, propaganda may be crucial in addressing global challenges like climate change, where collective action and behavior modification are essential.

Crick warns that although many place their hopes on social media and other digital technologies to connect people and advance social progress, in fact they carry their own risks. For example, it is well-documented that social media algorithms can entrench biases.

"The inevitable results of such a system include polarization, the stifling of innovation, and the creation of master neurosis and paranoia.

"That said, if we wish to enliven democratic life, propaganda must still be part of the solution for the simple reason that it will never go away. But it must be a propaganda in which everyone participates as both producer and consumer. To be an active citizen and a modern technological society is to be actively engaged in the diverse propagandas of our time."

More information:
Nathan Crick, Propaganda, (2025). DOI: 10.4324/9781003607236

Provided by Taylor & Francis