"Two Ways of Looking at Propaganda" by John Brown

John H. Brown
Georgetown University Institute for the Study of Diplomacy

In 2006 the official blog of the University of Southern California Center on Diplomacy at the Annenberg School published a brief but insightful post ("Two Ways of Looking at Propaganda") in which the author, the good Doctor John H. Brown.  The post compares and contrasts what Brown asserts are the two major philosophical positions available vis-a-vis propaganda - what he calls moralism and neutralism.  The former takes an absolutist position against propaganda (propaganda is a tool which can only be used to detract from truth and, therefore, is fundamentally unethical), the latter takes a relativistic approach.  As such, it could potentially be an excellent core document for a discussion on when, and if, propaganda may be ethically used.