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11/8/1952 - Propaganda Methods by A. Doak Barnett

NOT FOR PUELICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT VORLD AFFAIRS ADB II Pmopaganda Methods Peak Road Small House Kong November Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear Mr Rogers The efforts Mao Tse wrote New Democracy published building society naton Chinese people In society nation along political organization economy culture arise To achieve culture Chinese Communists conducting_an logical assault minds people Ghlna probably effort energy devoted influencing people think other activity China today The ccmplete thought propaganda apparatus established party state tremendous pervasive The Marxist dogma maintains economic political systems determine culture Chinese Commu nists while asserting their Marxist orthodoxy believe first revolutionize attitudes opinions ideas order create foundation their planned economic political social changes It impossible brief newsletter describe techniques Chinese Communists carry domestic propaganda populous country world perhaps incomplete picture least sggest propaganda ethods which ideological revolution China being conducted There several important premises deological field basis which Chinese Communists operate In first place believe everything people think concern party government Nothing polltical For example whether peasant plants wheat cotton political matter because state usually definite opinion which should plant depending place therefore peasant attitude question reflects attitude toward state If beats merely personal problem political Offense because obviously opposing Communists policies emancipation women A professor wants spend laboratory research balks attending consumlng political meetirgs showing dangerous geois trais individuaSism separating theory divorcing himself masses these traits canno ignored In China today there offlcially sanctioned correct defining almost human attitudes behavior person violates serious ideological implica tions Such person correct specific actions aEtltudes which plant cotton boating attend lItlcal meetings proclaim fully realizes right thing flmdamentals study study Marxism Leninism thoughtlof Mao Tse understand nature Of Chinese revolution leade Of Communist Party demacatizg friend In almosteverything thinks Commu China IS either right wrong theeyes thorities And incentive right strong person wrong seemingly unimportant things probably subjected public criticism propaganda tacks organized social pressure recant reform At worst person Wrong Runished Instruents state power In China there several primary sources final corect regarding quetion important fndamentalscriptureswhichincludeallthe writings ofMao Tse those M Engels Lenin Stalin imilar luminal aresupplemented interprtati Ons prophets seCondrank inclUdi China Liu Shao Onm0s questions however these serve mainly basiC ieference works further interpreted ciflc ements speeches articles Other Conist leaders decrees reIslons issued party goverent Once defined It disseminated mendous propaganda apparatus regime through every celvable medta capable conveying Ideas people which disseminated through official New China News Agency NCNA important aganda instruments News frankly unapologetically agandlstic bourgeois concet objectivity tolerated Foreign comes largely Soviet Pravda Tass Domestic gathered Cot reports NCN branches edited distributed through these network Avehi percentag carried local papers everywhere country originates capital however texts government decrees reports speeches large average newspaper The editorials Peking People Daily principal cntral organ party partlcuariy important propagating official current issues These edito rials frequently reprinted newspapers country always provide local editors should write Editorial oplnolons spread country process chain reaction When questionIn national interest fundamental importance original sotrce party organs regional level process dissemination The importanc Peking People Daily editorials scheme things however illustrated single inoident On esults recent Sine Soviet Moscow talks leased China morning newspapers Shanghai actually heldup twelve hours finally reached streets vening after People Daily carrying official horse mouth received Shang editors All party members pOllticalworkers activists expected readinewspapers daily andfailure criti cised dereliction0f As official party organ Can recently neglect newspaRor reading neglect politics The neglect polItiCs ordinary trifle serious manifestation bourgeois decayed mentallt Infil trating minds working cadres Everyone encouraged newspapers various devices Postal personnel example solicit scriptions organizations cousider their foster newspaper readin Another effective means which readership increased fozmmtion collective paper readinggroups which regular intervals usually professional propagandists Such groups parti cularly useful extendXng audience newspapers include illterates organized China large scale The Chinese Connnists claim example groupe already organized East China Region alone The outreach press further extended radio toring network which covers rural areas served large papers In every hsier county government asigns monitoring personnel dictatlon speed Peking In addition editorials channel rapid distribution important regulations policies The monitor stations reproducs matelal thoory least reaches vi2tually entire lation Sores mimeograph local newspapers others important material persoDnel Eaintaining thousands blackboard papers newspapers written local sheets In villages megaphone broadcasts propaganda personnel daily reach masses In addition course broadcast vocally extensive uetwork regular government radio stations which blanket omUntry But nmber radio receivers aricu larly rural areas limited primitive dissemination monitor network reach larger number people Ths outreach regular radio programs gradually belng enlarged however several methods One method organization collective listening groups To generally rstriCted special events method which mobilizs listening audience desired This Spring eample special broadcasts trial which place during corruption campaign reported heard Canton alone residents organized roving propaganda teams listen available receivers Another method which officially encour which probably developed _equipment shortages establishment village sstems wired loudspakers attached central receivers Publications sorts naturally another principal propaganda medium Chinese Communists More books periodicals being published China today before history And people reading printed Ths Chinese Communists state owned publish Ing houses claim during times books periodicals published In China The eking Gove PubllcatiOn Admlnlstratlon states million books million copies periodl These schednled presses during publicationS egardless carry propaganda Even purely literary works poetry plays novels cannot political wdespread rectlfication studies carried Communist oganized artists writers assocla tions attempted overcome remnantnon polltlca tendenIss The Conmmlst sponsore national assoclation scientists members other organizations When deviations correct political occur inpublicatlons merely provides occasion enthusiastic citicism reinforcement crthodoxy prolonged cussion erros This example magazine Hsueh Hsl Sdy which probably official theoretloai zieea Ingwithieolog calquestlons inCommunistChinago slightly Off analysis bourgoXs thought result It suspended April August olympian authority difficult reappeared filled humble confessions elaborate definitions correct A great books being published volumes politics economics philosophy social science written Marxist point New textbooks which adaptations Soviet coming great numbers scientific technical volumes practIcal Itis perhaps significant however Creatiwe wrltersin China notably unproductive during three years In field development whlch paralleled flels creative expression China basement literary values under banner popularization The sellers China during example beenslmpllfed lllustra editions books dealing current government policies marriage million copies suppressicn counter revolutionaries million copies Pocket cartoon books promoted scale since Com munist several thousand titles millions copies majority themes stories overtly political Although dramatic destruction Com munist literature China process taken place steadily quietly Libraries Weeded books which there ideologicalmlstakes Man plays operas banned others revised Undesirable books abroad And style cartoon books slowly withdrawn destroyed A fleod periodic1 appeared China The seller trolled Current Affairs Handbook Shlh Shih Shou Ts fortnightly propaganda sngle issue reRorted million copies The cther sellers mainly fields slick pIctorials Pictorial Hua Pao cartocn magazines Cartoons Man Hua But probably majority ofmagazines specii official house organs myriad government party organi zations Im China these speclallzed magazines speciflC target groups children youth women artists movie workers scientists They translate general party terms relevant cific audiences often virtually required reading thousands people The development lltrature literate rural population another important development Cowmunlst China Many pamphlets books newspapers being colloquial Slmply wrtten language rsach peasants workers never readers before Hand national program literacy training dertaken The system being called Ch Chlen course llterac method devised teacher Actuall method based ideas develcped years Chinese lngulstic expsrts never large scale The Chinese Communists illiterate diers workers peasants taught basic Chinese characters enough popular newspapers books system through intensive relatively short period hours Some sources claim takes hours A natlonal illiteacy forum Peking September fined targets present patgn develop country eliminate illiteracy among cadres organs bodies counter within years eliminate illlteracy among industrial workers ithin years eliminate illiteracy among young peasants workers trades within years eliminate illiterac entirely China within years The Chinese Communists averse ambitious projects Their prinary motives ambit egard literacy practical The starti point culture literacy Tong Tzu Deputy Chaian Central South Chisaid speech July After literate workers further studying political theories systetically leaIng advanced industrial technlqus The short liter method prerequimlte studies SS workers peasants mastered cultural their rapid easily catch qulrements tlonal constction In additlo putting precdentednberof publlca tions increasing pople Chinese Counlsts further deVeloped mechics distribution sales State stores Opened In areas ofthe ccunty The New China Publishing Comply state enterprise centralized distribution branches throghout countL banches sends circulating which penetrate toesdVillages Rurallibrariesvebeenfostered aofflclally It ISclawed there already 13800 ofthem In exstence Cul tural cnters nboth villagesabanfactoriesve pushed almost Cow Jetsam asserted already beenset Through these haels throu schools ganlzed indoct rinationLclasses crganiZatlons publications ofail sorts filterdown rocts strong pressures applied induce people It pOssible descrlbe Whole propaganda media which Chinese Counis employ should least mentioned All motion piCtmre studios China grindg propagandafisa dUbbi Soviet films Chinese ltles FiBs scarce because those U S other western countries whlchfoerly domitd China market banned But which avail In cities normally rotate until shcwu theatres block scale Of tickets members various organizations convenient ensure attend theatres however motion picture Many projection teshave organized countslde In addition simple slide projectors being duced fairly large scale together approprlat slides showing areas These merely obvious conventional ganda media however Chinese Communists confine themselves obvious In cities today example cannot go_anywhere without being exposed propaganda Wall buildings cloth teamers bearing slogans current emphasis Communlsts peace paign Wall space covered written slogans A group workers going their factory truck likely rying flags banners ensribed slogans An probably bearing Com munist maxims stuck In pages A writlng diary night undoubtedly Communist thcught School children singing class learn words about Ch Oppose Ameica Aid Eorea school children during recess going through motions politi significance An couple which prefers hinese opera Communist propaganda films likely their favorite opera modified carry apolitical message current affairs The calendars restaurants portraits pretty girls longer instead carry scenes reform People Volunteers Korea Portraits Communist leaders every whore The situation villages although highly oreani similar Even traditional New Year pictures which plaster doorways homes being placed modern figures representing revoluticrary heroes Pa decorating windows convey political message Itinerant story tellers being indoctrinated story material To produce volume propaganda these varied forms virtually persons China working creative liter artistic fields organized organiza tions which operate Under direction Communist propaganda agencies effect tools Communists aganda machine A simple listing propagnda media which Chinese Conunists employ gives partial picture extensive propaganda system China today however In actual important element system agltstlon persbnal contact trainsd propaganda teams individuals 0nJanuay Central Commit Chinese Communist Party issued Directive Establishment Propaganda Network asses Throughout Party The system which being organized basis directive reaches lcwest levels Chinese society trained propagandists working system responsible aganda individual homes By start twelve months after original directive Chinese Communists stated party network already oganized almcst million propagan dists information officers At prseot undcubtedly larger The immediate bring least percent general populat network would amount llllon people percent personnel paces factories The network organized Communist Party Committees levels The Party propaganda department cooperating cultural edcationa bureaux local 0vernents selectatrain personnel They provide propaganda p_ans directives material Although present evidence indicates completely standardized planned provincial municipal party committees issue dtailed propaganda plans dlretlves monthly mohthly while basic party branches planning briefing conferences fortnightly weekly Information officers generally found level district committees above sponsible leaders party Their function perio speeches reports important issues party personnel gatherings villages factories The propagandists workhorses however The usually party members Youth Corps members trusted activists indluded They responsible activities bottom level They distribute available propaganda materials carry extensive propaganda Their manifold duties include following making speeches delivering reports picking individuals indoctrinating story telllng organizing slide showl picture exhibitions puppet shows singing sessions dramatic performances maintaining newspapers blackboard papers giving megaphone broadcasts rooftops They deliver propaganda conduct aganda North Chlna They urged anybody replae family current vents habit propagandlmng whenever wherever In places there local ropaganda stablons braries propagandists manage Propagandists mobilize assistance among local activists drawn ranks masses Th6 people propaganda composed Of activists organized professional agandists village every urban street These teams reach homes The Communists claim already accompli areas isolated places I percent population mobilized propaganda activities percent Apart Youth Corps members Baders organiza tions major population group which mobilized aganda activists consists rural teachers The Chinese Commu nists estimate there rimary school teachers alone rural China dAthey formidable force propaganda corps scrutiny school teachers riences shown popaganda teachers public places effective school children carry propaganda families women their young fwiends The combination rural tachers prima school students propaganda force indeed This nationwide party network information officers agandists propaganda activists permanent system apart special propaganda teams personnel irnum erableposes Chinese Communists propaganda machine It system which Communists ensure their propaganda reaches people throughout countr continuing basis I system guaranteeing current Dar reaches every What I described bsrest outline regular propaganda Communist China In addition Chinese Communists developed system group indoctrination which probably ctive influencing minds Chinese people regular propaganda Not schools centers indoctrination large percentage adult populstion China subjected In tensive indoctrination hsueh study groups during three years In these groups party hammered people minds methods which deserve attention ohologlsts psychoanalysts group pressure break individual resistance conformlst tendencies until every group member express acceptance ideas which Conunists across This place start descrIption indoctrination methods China however until later ewsietter There doubt Chinese Communist propaganda techniques extremely effective On surface China turning regimented country Who parrot Communist Party Surface appearances somewhat deceiving however Ideas under round probably significant number educated adult population China resisted Communist propaganda varying degrees Of success But question happening minds illiterates youths sound basis Judging andevaluatlng Connunist propaganda different matter It these groups particularly youths important Chinese Coist And Commu nists undoubtedly inculcate their culture becmuse before years remember anything Yours faithfully A Doak Barnett Received New York