Propaganda / PersuasionThrough the Ages

Ancient World

Egypt, China, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, India, Greece, Rome

Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey (around 7th Century B.C.E)

Arete: excellence / reaching the highest human potential

Hubris: overconfident pride and arrogance; a lack of humility.

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Sophists: Athens and other Greek cities 5th century B.C.E.

Professional teachers and intellectual who offered young wealthy Greek men an education in aretē (virtue, excellence, persuasion).

In democratic Athens aretē was increasingly understood in terms of the ability to influence one’s fellow citizens in political gatherings through rhetorical persuasion.

The most famous: Protagoras and Gorgias

Plato against Sophists Sophists made genuine and original contributions

to Western thought, but… Due in large part to the influence of Plato and

Aristotle, the term sophistry has come to signify the deliberate use of fallacious reasoning, intellectual charlatanism and moral unscrupulousness.

Plato: Truth / Reason versus Persuasion

Aristotle The means of persuasion:

Ethos Pathos Logos

Propaganda / PersuasionThrough the Ages

Athens and Sparta: The Struggle with Persia

First Persian Invasion under Darius:Battle of Marathon 490 BCE

490 BCE: Persian invasion force is defeated at the Battle of Marathon .

The Second Persian Campaign: 480 BCE 480 BCE: Xerxes, king of Persia, invades the

Greek mainland Greek resistance to Persia exemplified in the

Battle of Thermopylae. Persian force is defeated at the Battle Salamis

479 BCE: Xerxes withdraws his forces.

The Battle of ThermopylaeThe foundation myth of western civilization

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The symbol of ThermopylaeThe foundation myth of western civilization

Self-sacrificeFighting for freedomRationalisms

The Spartans sacrificed themselves for the freedom of Greece.

The Greeks were a special nation that possessed qualities (like rationality and a passion for liberty) that the nations of the ancient East were lacking.

The Greco-Persian war marked the birth of western civilization, defined by rationalism, freedom, and democracy.

Stereotyping the enemy the Persians are shown as effeminate and

religious devotees. The Spartans are physically perfect. It is man versus woman, mysticism versus

rationalism, healthy versus sick.

Consider reading: The Histories by Herodotus Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the

World by Paul Cartledge

Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE) Conquest Treatment of enemies Incorporation of cultures/people

Cult of personality

By Callisthenes (“a professional flatterer”, propagandist? PR?): Deeds of Alexander many allusions to Homer's Iliad, a calculation of

the date of the fall of Troy exactly thousand years before Alexander's visit to the sacred city

references to towns mentioned by Homer and visited by Alexander.

Alexander's manly behavior and the effeminate weakness of the Persians

the sea showing obedience to the new Achilles Alexander is the son of Zeus. 

The Hellenistic civilizationFrom the death of Alexander 323 BCE to 31 BCE when Rome defeated Greece.

The spread of Greek power and cultural influence throughout the former Empire of Alexander

The Hellenistic civilization Partially deliberate policy Partially a natural diffusion of Greek culture, arts,

architecture, mathematics, philosophy and science. Transformation of Greek society from the localized and

introverted city-states to an open, cosmopolitan, and exuberant culture that permeated the entire eastern Mediterranean, and Southwest Asia.

Greek thinking, mores, and way of life dominated the public affairs of the time. The Greek language became the official language of the Hellenistic world.

IMPERIAL ROME .

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Imperial Rome The Law The Military The Technology / Engineering

Julius Caesar: Cult of Personality Decisivenes: Crossing Rubicon and Alea

iacta est (The die is cast). Military prowess and skill: Veni, vidi, vici

(I came, I saw, I conquered). Supernatural—descended from the goddess

Venus

Judaism and the Rise of Christianity Myth of Creation The Mosaic Law (The Old Testament) Paul of Tarsus and the New Testament Early Christianity (preceding the First Council of

Nicaea in 325). Establishment of the Church The Reformation / Counter-Reformation Martin Luther / Ignatius Loyola

The Foundations of Western Civilization The confluence of the ideas from: The Greeks / The Romans The Hebrew / Christianity The Enlightenment philosophy

Religion Charismatic figures Heavy symbolism A simple moral philosophy Fulfilling people’s needs Enforcement through fear

The Reformation / Counter-ReformationPropaganda wars Martin Luther: Ninety Five Theses 1517 The Beginning of Reformation

The Response: Ignatius Loyola and Jesuits Foundations of seminaries The Inquisition A mission to reach parts of the world that had

been colonized as predominantly Catholic

Gutenberg and printing press (1450s)PRINT: The new dimension of propaganda

“He created a whole new democratic world: he had invented the art of printing.”(Thomas Carlyle,1833)

by 1500 there were in Europe at least nine million books, of thirty thousand titles, and over a thousand printers.

Religion as ‘reinforcement’ of the dominant ideology The Japanese military use of Shinto Stalin’s use of Orthodox Church The Catholicism of the Irish Republican Army Martin Luther (16th cent): condemnation of

peasant revolt Islam and terrorism Religions support for slavery (U.S.) and

segregation (apartheid in South Africa).

Slavery "[Slavery] was established by decree of Almighty

God...it is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation..." Jefferson Davis (president of the Confederation)

"The right of holding slaves is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures, both by precept and example." Rev. R. Furman, D.D., a Baptist pastor

For many years the Quakers were the only anti-slavery denomination

Christianity and the West Traditionally Christianity was seen as a Western or

European religion. Now Christianity is becoming a post-Western religion

dominated by the peoples, cultures, and countries of the global South.

Religion will shape the dynamics of existing, new, and emerging great powers.

It will influence U.S. attempts to promote freedom, civil society, democracy, and economic development

Christian resurgence The most dramatic religious explosion in the world today

is the spread of Pentecostalism and evangelical Protestantism

Pentecostalism is a movement within Christianity that places emphasis on a direct personal experience of God.

Pentecostalism includes a wide range of different theologies and cultures. There is no single central organization or church that directs the movement. Many Pentecostal groups are affiliated with the Pentecostal World Conference.

Evangelical Protestantism Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement. Its

key commitments are: The need for personal conversion (or being "born again") Actively expressing and sharing the gospel A high regard for biblical authority, especially biblical

inerrancy An emphasis on teachings that proclaim the death and

resurrection of Jesus

Political activities Traditionally Pentecostalism and evangelical

Protestantism were thought to be private and highly personal religions with little interest in politics

Recently they became very active in politics, especially in Latin America

Generally they support freedom and democracy, but because of their biblical literalism they promote intolerance

Religious renewal in Asia China is experiencing a tremendous expansion of

Pentecostalism and evangelical Christianity. It is projected that by 2050 there will be about 200 million

Christians in China (15% of the population) In South Korea Christianity reached over 25% of the

population Meanwhile, northwestern China is home to over 20 million

Muslims and is now in the grip of an Islamic reawakening.

India’s problem Although 80% of Indians are Hindus, there are serious

variations within the country. For example, Muslims comprise 67% of the population of Jammu and

Kashmir. Christians dominate small eastern states of Nagaland

(90%), Mizoram (87%), and Meghalaya (70%). Sikhs make up 60% of Punjab

Common Sense (1776) Thomas Paine

The American Revolution “Boston Massacre” (1770) Political cartoons: “Join, or Die” John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Jean Jacques

Rousseau Declaration of Independence The Constitution

The Constitution and the Declaration

Promotion of the political ideas of Enlightenment: to create a system of checks and balances that held rulers to higher laws/standards.

Democratic government / separation of powers / secularism / rationality

The rationalism and secularism Thomas Jefferson: Shake off all the fears of

servile prejudices, under which weak minds are crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear