Psychological effects of Propaganda in relation to Totalitarianism Essay

Psychological effects of Propaganda in relation to Totalitarianism - Essay Example Totalitarianism is a new form of government falling into the general classification of dictatorship, a system in which technologically advanced instruments of political power are wielded without restraint by centralized leadership of an elite movement for the purpose of affecting a total social revolution, including the conditioning of man on the basis of certain arbitrary ideological assumptions, proclaimed by the leadership in an atmosphere of coerced unanimity of the entire population. (qtd. in Linz 66). Therefore in a totalitarian regime propaganda is the psychological weapon used to make the unassuming masses toe the political line. The role of propaganda in bringing about such a revolution has been emphasized. History is littered with examples of the use of propaganda in transforming hitherto placid peoples into bloodthirsty vengeful killers. Records of such unimaginable violence raise many questions about the darker side of human nature and what goads ordinary individuals into performing unspeakable acts. Thus the focus of this essay will be to study the psychological effects of propaganda in relation to totalitarianism. Totalitarianism relied heavily on fear to control individuals, stifle resistance, root out dissent and eliminate opposition. According to Bramstedt, propaganda and fear share a symbiotic relationship, "Terror without propaganda would lose most of its psychological effect, whereas propaganda without terror does not contain its full punch" (175). Fear and terror were used to prompt individuals to behave in the manner approved by the regime. Propaganda had the effect of taking the edge out of the sting of terror by justifying the heavy-handed tactics employed as essential in the journey towards a bright future and by painting a rosy picture of the future under the current government. The combined use of fear and propaganda to great effect was demonstrated in the aftermath of the Russian revolution. The Bolsheviks under Lenin unleashed the red terror on the populace to deal with the insurgents. The secret police known as the Cheka and the red army under Trotsky sought to destroy the anti-Bolsheviks with a firm hand. Thousands were executed in cold blood or imprisoned in concentration camps that spread like a rash throughout the country. The masses cowered in fear and were psychologically ripe for the effects of propaganda. Agitation propaganda had been employed by Lenin via inflammatory publications like the Pravda to discredit the Tsarist regime and to fan the flames of revolution. Having seen the revolution to its bloody end and by demonstrating their might the Bolsheviks set about establishing a totalitarian system. Propaganda was used to garner popular support for the government and to enlighten the masses about the benefits of communism. People were led to b elieve that communism was the panacea for all their problems and the rewards were manifold for those who embraced its tenets. Needless to say the masses were convinced and thus propaganda bolstered by fear laid the groundwork for the development of a powerful Soviet Russia. The Nazis used a like combination of propaganda

When and why does credibility become an issue in criminal cases Essay

When and why does credibility become an issue in criminal cases - Essay Example Different people have different credibility and therefore the experts involved in the case will determine extend or the trustworthiness of a witness. The witness to be approved for credibility can be approached from different ways. One is that the person may be approached by an individual expert who will determine the trustworthiness of the person. The other one and the most effective one is whereby a group of experts approach a witness to determine the trustworthiness of his evidence. When the source of information is credible it becomes easy and firmer to make decisions. Some general characteristics of a credible person are unselfish, caring, fair, experienced, qualified and trustworthy. People who are charismatic become more than credible since they are extroverted, composed and also sociable. It is not always guaranteed that an expert will be competent with witness. If he becomes competent depending on the context then it will be quick and accurate to make fair decisions. There a re different aspects of life which require credibility. These vary from marketing to other things like criminal cases. In criminal cases credibility has become one such aspect which sees to it that there is fair judgment in all what happens in the process of the cases. One aspect which is very important to get from the witness is credibility. There are many things which may influence a person’s credibility and they vary from one person to another. Things that influence a person’s credibility Social influence This occurs when external factors intervene and change or control you. This may be in effect to your thoughts, feelings or actions which will be affected extrinsically by people. Social influence takes into consideration many forms like socialization, peer pressure, obedience, persuasion and even leadership. This is technically and widely discussed in social psychology. A person may be influenced socially due to the minority influence. This happens when the majorit y is influenced to accept the beliefs of the person in the case or the group. This mostly happens through informational social influence. When many people take a certain direction then it is psychological that you will be confronted to take the same direction. Many will always feel that the majority group is the right one and they will therefore act in favor of the majority leading to poor credibility (Garvev, 2003). Also when the group acting is perprating and consistent, then this may influence your credibility. The stronger the social influence then the more it will affect your personal credibility. Despite this you can take your own personal stand and believe by what you know, saw or were involved in rather than relying on what you hear from other people. You can also use your own understanding of a situation or a given scenario to extent your credibility. Therefore credibility should be effective when it is internalized rather than externalized (Foot, 1973). Personal stand Your personal stand plays a key role in determining your trustworthiness in a given scenario. You should have your own personal stand rather than the group or majority stand. This may be achieved by believing in what you know and doing thorough research. You ought to follow some rules like I know because I know. A personal stand if publicized may have a lot of impact on your credibility (Brain, 2011). Behavior One of the things that may make control of your credibility is behavior. Your behavior will be determined more by obedience. Human beings will always behave differently in