Propaganda: History and Connotations

Often times when we hear the word "propaganda" we think of the 20th century definition of the word: "dissemination of information—facts, arguments, rumours, half-truths, or lies—to influence public opinion."  This definition is accurate for almost all uses of propaganda within the last century, especially during WWI, WWII, and The Cold War.  When studying these periods of European and Asian history there are many examples of propaganda being used by every major country in this way.  China, the Soviet Union, Germany, and the United States are generally the first four that come to mind.  Despite the heavy political and generally negative connotations of the word today, propaganda was originally a religious term used by the Pope in the 17th century to spread Catholicism to non-Catholic countries and regions.  At this time it was a fairly neutral word, if not a positively associated one.  Barbara Diggs-Brown describes this on page 48 of Strategic Public Relations: An Audience-Centered Approach.  Whatever the use and purpose of propaganda, it has undeniably shaped public opinions for better or worse throughout history, and even today it is still used as a tool to advance agendas.