Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda

As the authors acknowledge in their introduction to the Historical Dictionary of American Propaganda, the word “propaganda” is not only notoriously difficult to define, it is also mired in negative connotations. It is, as they call it, “the hated P‐word”. It evokes a sinister form of communication, involving deception, censorship and intimidation. We prefer to ascribe it to others. We do not do propaganda. The modern democratic societies of the West, having sought to define their values by reiterating their contrast with those of the “totalitarian” states – pre‐eminently, the Third Reich and the Soviet Union – have regarded...