Why are Soviet posters called propaganda?

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Why are Soviet posters called propaganda? I don't really think they are, especially if you look at the semantics of the word propaganda. Besides they are just posters. Also why were American WWII Posters never called 'propaganda'?

[Vendetta]

Because use of the word propaganda is subjective.

[Janus]

Propaganda:


1. information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
2. the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.
3. the particular doctrines or principles propagated by an organization or movement.

Even the most simplest of information could be considered propaganda.

[Qwerty Dvorak]

Also why were American WWII Posters never called 'propaganda'?
Yes they were


Because use of the word propaganda is subjective.
No it's not

[Phugebrins]

Propaganda is anything which causes an idea to propagate. Thereby, it comes to mean anything pushing a point of view. Of course, those who do not have the intellectual honesty to admit they're actually conveying a potentially controversial message do not like to be classed as propagandists, they like to be thought of as impartial commentators or some rubbish. Propaganda has therefore developed the implication of being some terrible blind mind-controlling device (I was going to write 'advert', but that was too weak - and besides adverts are nice fluffy capitalist things that couldn't possibly be considered propaganda).

[Qwerty Dvorak]

Over here in Ireland they are trying to ban adverts that aim at getting kids to pester their parents to buy a certain product.

[Ander]

Propaganda is not necessarily a bad thing.

[bolshevik butcher]

Certainly not. I mean all communist litreature is effectivley propaganda of some form. All socialsit newspapers are as well. Propaganda just means promoting one point of view.

[sanpal]

One great russian cinema actor, Rolan Bykov, after collapsing of the USSR said: "Many of things that the Soviet propaganda told us about socialism were the lie but all that Soviet propaganda told us about capitalism unfortunately was the truth."

[Enragé]

just a sidenote here which might be important

the word for propaganda in russian does not bear the same negative connotations as it does in english.

[adz170]

anything which is trying to convey a message i think should be classed as propaganda , it is as simple as that . :o :mellow: :che:

[sanpal]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2006, 12:45 PM
just a sidenote here which might be important

the word for propaganda in russian does not bear the same negative connotations as it does in english.
It depends from the context. Talking about harm of smoking is propaganda of useful way of living (positive connotations). propaganda as an element of ideologic war (during cold war) had more negative connotation

[Flatline]

there is Propaganda evrywere its just you have to look realy hard to see it
its the only way a 'goverment' can keep you under thumb by feeding you all the storys and pictures about 'otrocitys' that other people have done

[norwegian commie]

In every hollywood film containing a russian, cuban or radikal. We get fed the bullshit about communism killing, not working and commies beeing crazy. That is the real propaganda. Along with our school books, people get a fucked up world-view.

-propaganda IS subjective.
In the way that an apple is ore isnt an apple.
Sovjet films, posters, theatre were called propaganda. But what was the same things called in the states? That were "enlightemnet" films with an objective content like "who is a communist" or "communism kills"
rubbish

[CheGregory]

Its all about perspective. Almost how in Nepal the guerrillas are the "heroes of the people", and to the capitalist world, they are "terrorists" threatening a regime.

Propoganda by definition, isn't bad. Our culture has turned it into meaning something that holds lies.