Propaganda facts for kids
Propaganda is a way of sharing information. This information is created to make people feel or believe something specific. It is often about politics.
It can be hard to know if the information is true or false. Often, it is confusing or unfair. You might see propaganda as posters, TV ads, or radio announcements.
The word 'propaganda' comes from Latin. It first meant 'ideas to be spread'. But during the First World War, it started meaning political ideas that might be misleading.
Propaganda is a bit like advertising. Both use mass media to share messages. But advertising usually tries to sell something. Propaganda is more about ideas. It is often political. Governments or political groups use it, not private companies.
Contents
What is Propaganda?
Propaganda is a special kind of message. It tries to influence how people think or act. It often uses strong feelings instead of just facts.
How Propaganda Works
Propaganda aims to persuade you. It might show only one side of a story. It can make something seem very good or very bad. This helps to shape public opinion.
Uses of Propaganda
Propaganda is often used during wars. It can be very helpful then. Sometimes it makes people in a country feel good. It tells them their country is fighting well. It also says how important it is to defeat the enemy.
Making Enemies Seem Bad
Propaganda can try to make people hate the enemy. It might say the enemy is evil. Or it might make them seem less than human. Sometimes a government sends propaganda to the enemy. It tells them the war is going badly. This tries to make them stop fighting.
Propaganda in Peacetime
Even when there is no war, propaganda can be used. A government might use it to change what people think about a political issue. A group might try to change how people act towards an issue.
Propaganda and Control
In some countries, like dictatorships, propaganda is used with censorship. Propaganda gives people certain ideas. Censorship stops people who disagree from speaking out. This helps the government control information.
Propaganda is also used to trick people. Some people say that cults use propaganda. They use it to get people to join them.
Examples of Propaganda
Here are some historical examples:
- British propaganda against Germany in the First World War.
- German propaganda against Poland to start the Second World War. An example is the Attack on Sender Gleiwitz.
History of Propaganda
Propaganda has been used for a very long time. It was used in every known civilization. For example, Rameses II used it on his monuments in Ancient Egypt. Ancient Greek orators used it too. Julius Caesar and all Roman Emperors used it. The word itself comes from 'propagate'. This means to spread or multiply.
Spreading Ideas in History
The idea of spreading messages was further developed by the Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide of the Catholic Church. This group was started in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. It had branches in most European countries. These groups worked to spread the Church's beliefs. They aimed to remove challenges to the Church's power in matters of belief.
Images for kids
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Poster depicting Winston Churchill as a "British Bulldog"
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A 1918 Finnish propaganda leaflet signed by General Mannerheim circulated by the Whites urging the Reds to surrender during the Finnish Civil War.
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Poster of the 19th-century Scandinavist movement
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Poster in a North Korean primary school targeting the United States military. The Korean text reads: "Are you playing the game of catching these guys?".
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Anti-capitalist propaganda
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Public reading of the anti-Semitic newspaper Der Stürmer, Worms, Germany, 1935
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A 1938 propaganda of the New State depicting Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas flanked by children. The text reads "Children! Learning, at home and in school, the cult of the Fatherland, you will bring all chances of success to life. Only love builds and, strongly loving Brazil, you will lead it to the greatest of destinies among Nations, fulfilling the desires of exaltation nestled in every Brazilian heart."
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See also
In Spanish: Propaganda para niños
