ccch 9046: 'propaganda state': culture and politics in the people’s republic of china

lecture 5: propaganda posters

hernández: “the propaganda i see on my morning commute”

■ propaganda is escapable
■ “chasing a dream”
○ a promise of prosperity & rejuvenation that ties china’s quest to become a
‘superpower’ to the hopes and struggles of its people. plays into the idea that a
better life is just around the corner for all - “under your feet” - so long as they
maintain faith in xi jinping.
■ “one family”
○ reiterates the party’s position that china’s more than ethnicities are “united by one
heart.” it is a warning to any group in a faraway region that may consider
challenging xi’s policies.
■ “loyalty at home”
○ cultural revolution: in the 60-70’s, mao zedong’s image was hung in homes as a
symbol of hope from the people. xi has presented himself as a transformational
figure in ways that recall the personality cult of the mao era. suggests that
socialist ideals should inform daily decisions.
■ “a clean party”
○ ancient chinese proverb: “pure wind in two sleeves.” the party can survive only if
it eliminates corruption, and xi is preparing, as he begins his second five-year
term, to expand the campaign to millions more people.
■ “common values”
○ the communist party embraces a dozen “core socialist values,” including
freedom, rule of law, justice and democracy. these values are memorized by
schoolchildren and immortalized in song-and-dance routines. they are a rejection
of the idea that only western leaders can define what it means to be free. in
reality, however, if you criticise xi’s ideals, you will be sent to prison.

propaganda vs. persuasion:

■ “propaganda is ideological. it’s sell not tell. it’s didactic. we want to actually drive people
to a perspective which is pretty much set in stone’” -- nicholas o’shaughnessy
■ “propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate
cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that further the desired intent of
the propagandist” -- jowett & o'donell
■ has an important didactic function: to educate the people in what was right and wrong
rhetorics:
■ the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures
of speech and other compositional techniques.
■ language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect, but which is often
regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.
■ was viewed as something positive or at least neutral but with time got a bad rep. politics
and rhetorics. studied by western leaders from ancient greeks up till, well, recently.
■ major importance all trough european, western history, starting with the ancient greeks;
aristotle - three persuasive audience appeals logos - appeal to reason, pathos - appeal
to feelings, and ethos - the character of the speaker. the roman codified the techniques
into the five canons; invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. until recent
times it was a school subject all upper class western ‘students’ had to learn. then came
goebbels.