The Effect of Media and Propaganda on the Governance of Our Country

Submitted by:
Zahkie Mamacotao

Grade 9 - Amethyst

Submitted to:
Ms. Diaz
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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………… 3
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY………………………………… 3
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY………………………………… 5
DEFINITION OF TERMS………………………………………….. 5
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM……………………………….. 6
REFERENCES………………………………………………………. 7
The Effect of Media and Propaganda on the Governance of Our Country 3

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, media and propaganda have become increasingly pervasive in our society
due to the different changes it has experienced particularly because of the internet (Satterfield,
2020). It has been used in various ways, but one primary purpose of these two that makes it such
a powerful tool is its ability to influence and persuade people. This means that people who are
powerful and intelligent enough to use these tools can easily change our society, whether for
good or bad. This made me think, what can be the effects of media and propaganda in our
country’s government? Can it help us in any way, and if so, how? Well, due to the rising use of
media and propaganda over the past years, the governance of our country has seen many
complex outcomes, such as shaping public opinion, influencing policy decisions, and ultimately
impacting the quality of a democratic government.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Throughout the course of history, the media has always had a place in politics. According
to Ravi (2018) in his paper “Modern Media, Elections, and Democracy”, the press has always
played a crucial role in modern politics, especially in shaping the public’s opinion. Ravi (2018)
also stated in that paper that "the media is even today regarded as the watchdog and the guardian
of the public interest”. This is because of its ability to provide around-the-clock information
about politics and issues regarding the country. However, this does not mean it has always had a
positive impact on our society. Because of its ability to easily influence the public, it makes it
easy for other people to spread fake news, rumors, and lies about political leaders, elections, and
other political-related issues. False information like this tends to be created for the purpose of
influencing other people into believing personal political biases, and for some publishers, it can
also be a profitable business (Explained: What is False Information, n.d.). So, even if it may be
used for the greater good, some people still use media for their own personal benefit.
The Effect of Media and Propaganda on the Governance of Our Country 4

A great representation of how media and propaganda can influence our society is the
novella “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. At first glance, Animal Farm may just seem like a
fable about farm animals overthrowing humans; however, the further you get into the story, the
more you’ll understand what Orwell was trying to show. With the help of this book, George
Orwell was able to show the effects of propaganda on the hierarchy of power in a society by
retelling the history of the Russian Revolution through the use of animals. He represented
revolutionary leaders Josef Stalin, Leon Trotsky, and Vladimir Lenin as pigs and used other
animals to represent different social classes during the Russian Revolution (Animal Farm: An
Overview, 2015). However, one particular character that truly showed us how propaganda can
easily influence people is Squealer, a pig who was tasked with manipulating the other farm
animals. According to Lustig-Curran (2022), Squealer represents Pravda, or the Russian
newspaper that was used as propaganda during the Russian Revolution. This is because, just like
Pravda, Squealer was used by Napoleon, a pig who represents Josef Stalin, as a tool to
manipulate the other farm animals into believing his lies. As a result, Napoleon was able to
remain in power for most of the story, which made it easier for him to carry out his selfish plans.
With this, we can see the connection Orwell was trying to show us between the characters in the
story and the Russian Revolution.

As mentioned earlier, Pravda was a Russian newspaper used as propaganda to influence

public opinion, which is similar to how media is used in politics today. It also represented
communist ideals during the Russian Revolution, as it was the “official organ” of the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2020). Vladimir Lenin, a
revolutionary leader who led the Bolshevik revolution, also used Pravda to gain more support
from the masses by spreading his political agenda and ideals in the Pravda newspapers. Even
after the Bolshevik Revolution, Pravda was still being used by the Communist Party of the
Soviet Union until 1991, when it was finally ordered to shut down (Pravda Digital Archive, n.d.).
Despite this, we can still see the impact Pravda had on Russia’s society and what impact the
media and press can have on today’s world. Just like in the Russian Revolution, political leaders
The Effect of Media and Propaganda on the Governance of Our Country 5

in today’s society can use the media and the press to spread their political agenda and beliefs.
Those in power today can easily control the opinions of the masses if the media and the press are
on their side, because in the end, whether for the better or for the worse, the media has the power
to shape our society.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research aims to spread awareness about media and propaganda and how impactful
they can be in today’s society. As seen in many past events in history, the governance of a
country is what truly decides the future of the people, and with today’s media having a big
influence on political situations, the media and the press can also be seen as leading causes of
some of a country’s political issues. Researching how media and propaganda can affect
governance can also help us understand the dangers of authoritarianism and totalitarianism and
develop ways to prevent them from rising again, just like in the Russian Revolution. According
to Ravi (2018), when it comes to elections, the mass media is the main source of information, so
understanding how it works can teach us how to not be easily fooled by the media, which can
help improve public opinion and ultimately benefit the country’s governance.

● To spread awareness about the media’s impact on today’s society

● To raise awareness about the dangers of media and propaganda
● To help improve the governance of a country by understanding how the media can
influence the opinions of the masses

DEFINITION OF TERMS

TERM 1: The press - people (such as reporters and photographers) who work for newspapers,
magazines, etc. (Merriam Webster, 2023)
TERM 2: Mass Media - a medium of communication (such as newspapers, radio, or television)
that is designed to reach the mass of the people. (Merriam Webster, 2023)
The Effect of Media and Propaganda on the Governance of Our Country 6

TERM 3: Fable - a narrative form usually featuring animals that behave and speak as human
beings. (Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2023)
TERM 4: Novella - a work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity between a short story
and a novel. (Merriam Webster, 2023)
TERM 5: Public Opinion- the predominant attitude of a community; the collective will of the
people. (Merriam Webster, 2023)
TERM 6: Authoritarianism - the blind submission to authority and the repression of individual
freedom of thought and action. (Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2023)
TERM 7: Totalitarianism - a form of government that theoretically permits no individual
freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state.
(Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2023)

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The use of media and propaganda throughout the course of history has truly shown its
true potential in changing the world. However, certain problems about the use of these tools
should still be addressed such as the possible dangers and negative effects of media and
propaganda on our society. According to Satterfield (2020), as the use of media and propaganda
continues to grow, more and more fake news and rumors regarding political events spread
making it even more confusing and difficult for people to distinguish if an article is real or not.
This brings us to the question of what more can the influence of media do for us if it is also
harming the public. Can the use of media truly help us gain good governance or just spread even
more false information just for the sake of personal benefit?

1. What can be the downsides of using media as a source of information?

2. How does fake news affect the governance in a country?
3. What can be done to lessen the spread of false information and prevent others from being
victims of this?
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REFERENCES

Bheemaiah Krishnan Ravi. (2018). Modern Media, Elections and Democracy. Sage Publications
Pvt. Ltd.

Gale. (2015). Animal Farm: An Overview. Gale. https://www.gale.com/open-access/animal-farm

Lustig-Curran, H. (2022, May 24). Who is Squealer in “‘Animal Farm’”?: Character Analysis.
Study.com.https://study.com/learn/lesson/squealer-in-animal-farm-by-george-orwell-character-ro
le-analysis.html#:~:text=Squealer%20fits%20into%20the%20story's,diplomatic%20skills%20du
ring%20Stalin's%20reign.

East View Information Services, Inc. (n.d.). Pravda Digital Archive. East View.
https://www.eastview.com/resources/gpa/pravda/#:~:text=Pravda's%20primary%20role%20was
%20to,a%20decree%20closing%20it%20down.

Webwise.ie. (n.d.-b). Explained: What is False Information (Fake News)?. Webwise.ie.

https://www.webwise.ie/teachers/what-is-fake-news/

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020, September 30). Pravda. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pravda

Satterfield, H. (2020, March 11). How social media affects politics. Meltwater.
https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/social-media-affects-politics

Lindstaedt, N. (2023, April 28). authoritarianism. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/authoritarianism

Lindstaedt, N. (2023, April 28). authoritarianism. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/authoritarianism
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, February 11). fable. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/art/fable

Merriam-Webster. (2023). Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/