The Propaganda Principles of Goebbels

The 11 Propaganda Principles of Joseph Goebbels.

 

Who was Joseph Goebbels?

 

Joseph Goebbels was the father of Nazi propaganda and head of the Ministry of Popular Education and Propaganda, created by Adolf Hitler when he came to power in 1933. Goebbels had been the director of the Nazi Party's communication task and the great architect of the rise to can.

 

In those times, Adolf Hitler was a messianic figure, a myth that led the country wrapped in an aura of divinity. And if Hitler was the Messiah, Goebbels was his prophet.

 

 

Once in government and with a free hand to monopolize the state media apparatus, Goebbels banned all publications and media outlets outside his control and orchestrated a system of slogans to be broadcast through a centralized power of cinema, and radio, theater, literature, and the press.

 

He was also in charge of promoting or making government announcements public. His work in communication, control, and mass manipulation were so good that he developed the 11 principles of Nazi propaganda that operated with great efficiency and that are still used today, especially by governments. politicians and that inhabit most of the “fake news” that circulates today on the networks.

 

GOEBBELS' 11 PRINCIPLES OF NAZI PROPAGANDA.

 

1.- Principle of simplification and the single enemy.

Adopt a single idea, a single Symbol; Individualize the adversary into a single enemy.

 

2.- Principle of the contagion method.

Gather diverse adversaries in a single category or individual; The adversaries must constitute themselves as an individualized sum.

 

3.- Principle of transposition.

Charge your own mistakes or defects on your opponent, responding to the attack with the attack. "If you can't deny the bad news, make up other news to distract them."

 

4.- Principle of exaggeration and disfigurement.

Turn any anecdote, no matter how small, into a serious threat.

 

5.- Principle of popularization.

“All propaganda must be popular, adapting its level to the least intelligent of the individuals to whom it is directed. The larger the mass to be convinced, the smaller the mental effort to be made. The receptive capacity of the masses is limited and their understanding scarce; In addition, they are very easy to forget.”

 

6.- Principle of orchestration.

“The propaganda must be limited to a small number of ideas and repeat them tirelessly, presented again and again from different perspectives but always converging on the same concept. Without fissures or doubts”. This is also where the famous phrase comes from: “If a lie is repeated enough, it ends up becoming the truth”.

 

7.- Principle of renewal.

New information and arguments must be broadcast constantly at such a pace that when the adversary responds, the public is already interested in something else. The adversary's responses must never be able to counteract the increasing level of accusations.

 

8.- Principle of likelihood.

Build arguments from various sources, through the so-called trial balloons or fragmentary information.

 

9.- Principle of silencing.

Silence on issues for which there are no arguments and hide the news that favors the adversary, also counterprogramming with the help of related media.

 

10.- Principle of transfusion.

As a general rule, propaganda always operates from a pre-existing substratum, be it national mythology or a complex of traditional hatreds and prejudices; it is about disseminating arguments that can take root in primitive attitudes.

 

11.- Principle of unanimity.

Getting to convince many people that they think "like everyone else", creates an impression of unanimity.

 

As mentioned above these principles continue to be used, it is important to know and not forget the history.

 

Miguel de Cervantes defines History in chapter IX of his Don Quixote as: "path of truth, emulator of time, a repository of actions, a witness of the past, example and warning of the present, warning of what is to come".