16/06/2022, 21:31 Propaganda - Goebbels' Principles

Propaganda - Goebbels' Principles

Joseph Goebbels

Dr. Joseph Goebbels, beside being an intriguing character, was the Propaganda
Minister for Hitler's Third
Reich. He was recognized as a master of propaganda
as his work was studied after WWII. Goebbels did not
survive to enjoy the recognition;
he and his wife committed suicide on 1 May 1945, a week before the final
collapse
of the Third Reich.

After the war, US personnel discovered a very large diary dictated by Goebbels.
In it are his principles of
propaganda. Leonard Doob's 1950 article details
them from a translation of the diary by Louis Lochner
(1948).

Hitler's Basic Principles

These principles are abstracted from Jowett & O'Donnell.

Avoid abstract ideas - appeal to the emotions.

Constantly repeat just a few ideas. Use stereotyped phrases.
Give only one side of the argument.
Continuously criticize your opponents.
Pick out one special "enemy" for special vilification.

Goebbels' Principles of Propaganda

When reading these propaganda principles, keep in mind that they were applied
in wartime (WWII) and
involve issues that don't arise otherwise. It's a long list,
but Goebbels was dealing with the complexity of an
all-out war. While reading them
you may realize that some of the principles are generally applicable and not
limited to wartime. Some might be quite familiar today.
It is interesting to note that Goebbels' principles
derive from Hitler's own
ideas of propaganda.

1. Propagandists must have access to intelligence concerning events and public opinion.
2. Propaganda must be planned and executed by only one authority.
1. It must issue all the propaganda directives.
2. It must explain propaganda directives to important officials and maintain
their morale.
3. It must oversee other agencies' activities which have propaganda consequences.
3. The Propaganda consequences of an action must be considered in planning that action.
4. Propaganda must affect the enemy's policy and actions.
1. By suppressing propagandistically desirable material which can provide the
enemy with useful
intelligence.
2. By openly disseminating propaganda whose contents or tone causes the enemy
to draw the
desired conclusions.
3. By goading the enemy into revealing vital information about himself.
4. By making no reference to a desired enemy activity when any reference
would discredit that
activity.
5. Declassified, operational information must be available to implement a propaganda campaign.
6. To be perceived, propaganda must evoke the interest of an audience and must be
transmitted
through an attention-getting medium.
7. Credibility alone must determine whether propaganda output should be true or false.
8. The purpose, content, and effectiveness of enemy propaganda; the strength
and effects of an
expose'; and the nature of current propaganda campaigns
determine whether enemy
propaganda should be ignored or refuted.
9. Credibility, intelligence, and the possible effects of communicating
determine whether
propaganda materials should be censored.

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16/06/2022, 21:31 Propaganda - Goebbels' Principles

10. Material from enemy propaganda may be utilized in operations when it helps
diminish that
enemy's prestige or lends support to the propagandist's
own objective.
11. Black rather than white propaganda must be employed when the latter is less
credible or
produces undesirable effects.
12. Propaganda may be facilitated by leaders with prestige.
13. Propaganda must be carefully timed.
1. The communication must reach the audience ahead of competing propaganda.
2. A propaganda campaign must begin at the optimum moment.
3. A propaganda theme must be repeated, but not beyond some point of
diminishing effectiveness.
14. Propaganda must label events and people with distinctive phrases or slogans.
1. They must evoke responses which the audience previously possesses.
2. They must be capable of being easily learned.
3. They must be utilized again and again, but only in appropriate situations.
4. They must be boomerang-proof.
15. Propaganda to the home front must prevent the raising of false hopes
which can be blasted by
future events.
16. Propaganda to the home front must create an optimum anxiety level.
1. Propaganda must reinforce anxiety concerning the consequences of defeat.
2. Propaganda must diminish anxiety (other than that concerning the consequences of defeat)
which is too high and cannot be reduced by people themselves.
17. Propaganda to the home front must diminish the impact of frustration.
1. Inevitable frustrations must be anticipated.
2. Inevitable frustrations must be placed in perspective.
18. Propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the
targets for hatred.
19. Propaganda cannot immediately affect strong counter-tendencies; instead
it must offer some
form of action or diversion, or both.

These would be principles guiding the conduct of propaganda operations.

References
Goebbels' Principles of Propaganda, Leonard W. Doob, Public Opinion
Quarterly, Fall 1950 pp. 419-
442
Propagation and Persuasion; Jowett & O'Donnell

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