(1951) The Strategy of Soviet Propaganda

Academy of Political Science
The Strategy of Soviet Propaganda

Author(s): Harold D. Lasswell
Source: Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science, Vol. 24, No. 2, The Defense of the Free
World (Jan., 1951), pp. 66-78
Published by: Academy of Political Science
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THE STRATEGY OF SOVIET PROPAGANDA
HAROLD D. LASSWELL
Yale Law School
IT is no news to anyone that Soviet propaganda is full of

inconsistencieswhetheryou look at it throughtime or at
the same time. At firsttherewas ferventstressupon the
themesof world revolutionand the inevitabletriumphof com-
munism over capitalism. Suddenly at the Genoa Conference,
Chicherintold us of "peaceful cobperationof two social systems
during a given historical epoch." And the see-saw between
co6peration and war to the death has been going on ever since.
For years the Socialist and Liberal parties of the world were
vilifiedby the Russian leaders as "Social Fascists", until sud-
denly a terifficthreat appeared in Nazi Germany. And then
the " united front against war and fascism" took top billing.
But not for long. Came the Pact, and Stalin drank the health
of the Fiihrer. Came the German offensive,and slogans un-
congenial to the West sank into the shadow, while Stalin made
news by mentioningGod in a favorable tone of voice. Came
the end of hostilities,and the beginning of a new epoch of
separatism and hatred. The United States now rises to the
dignity of chief devil, taking the place occupied by the Nazis
and the "Anglo-French plutocracies" in earliertimes.
If thereare differences,thereare also consistenciesin Russian
propaganda. Many of the key symbols and slogans of the
Marxist inheritancelingeron.
Is there an interpretationcapable of accounting for the zig-
zags of Russian propaganda? I suggest that there is unity of
strategicaim: to maximize the power at home and abroad of
the ruling individuals and groups of Russia. Propaganda is
an instrumentof total policy, togetherwith diplomacy, eco-
nomic arrangementsand armed forces. Political propaganda
is the managementof mass communicationsfor power purposes.
In the long run the aim is to economize the material cost of
power. Even more specifically: the aim is to economize the
materialcost of world dominance.
[2141
No. 2] SOVIET PROPAGANDA 67
What will happen if this strategicgoal is perfectlyattained?

There will be no general war. Indeed, it is doubtful that
therewill be local aggressionsof the Korean type. Nation after
nation will fall into the Russian orbit through complacency,
divisionand intimidation. The United States will adopt policies
that weaken its economic,political and social fabric; the United
States will decline peacefully into a secondaryplace in world
affairs. Perfectsuccessby Russian propagandistswill cut down
the materialcosts that would be entailed by generalwar, or by
a seriesof local aggressions,or by colossal preparationsfor war.
A fraction of the success just described can contribute
mightily to the reduction of the material cost of Russian
domination. Whatever shortenswar, without compromising
success,saves Russian resources.
Perhaps it is superfluousto point out that the use of prop-
aganda as an instrumentof power is no idiosyncrasyof the
Russian rulingclass. All ruling classesin large-scalecommuni-
ties resortto propaganda. There are, however, factors in the
Russian case that set it somewhat apart. The contrastis par-
ticularlygreat when we think of the United States. The lead-
ers of Russia are operatingin a tight,supercentralizedgarrison-
police state, while the leaders of the United States are still
dispersed through government,business,education, and other
relatively independent institutions. The elite of Russia is
orientedtoward power, and possessesa traditionof calculating
power at home and abroad. In the United States the ruling
elementsare much less conscious of power as a predominating
value, since they are more preoccupiedwith wealth,respectand
other values.
The top rulers of Russia possess a doctrine and a tradition
in which the use of propaganda plays a conspicuous part in
the executionof total policy. No one is unmindfulof the fact
that the power seizure of 1917 was preparedby yearsof activ-
ity in which every member of the revolutionaryparty was
supposed to devote most of his energiesto propaganda.
It would be a mistake,however,to assume that the Russian
elite emphasizes propaganda out of deference to the human
mind, or to the r6le of ideas in history.1 It is much closer to
1 The mostimportant studyof the perspectives
of the Soviet elite is by
Nathan Leites (forthcoming).
[2151
68 THE DEFENSE OF THE FREE WORLD [VoL. XXIV
the mark to say that the traditionof the Russian ruling class
is to discount both ideas and the human mind; for the strategy
of Russian propaganda acts upon pessimisticassumptionsabout
the capabilities of mankind for enlightenmentby peaceful
persuasion.
Consider for a moment the doctrinal frameworkin which
propaganda operations are conceived. Distrust of the "ideo-
logical " can readily be derived from the stressput upon the
primacy of " material" factors in history. This inheritance
fromMarxismwas given a special twist in the lives of the chief
conspirativeleaders of Russian socialism. Lenin was only too
conscious of being in a minority. His conceptionsof revolu-
tionaryaction reflectedthe helplessnessthat he felt in the face
of the task of winning the Russian masses by peaceful per-
suasion. He saw in the ideologicalstructureof Russian peasants
and workersthe imprintof the materialascendancyof the old
ruling class. The sluggishness,stubbornnessand stupidityof
the Russian masses, against which Lenin railed at times, were
ideological factorsin history. But these gigantic icebergswere
frozen into shape by the " material" forces at the disposal of
the older elites.
And how were these ideological residuesto be brokenup and
melted down? Not by persuasion,concluded Lenin. Only by
sweeping material transformations. But how was this to be
reconciled with the use of propaganda?2
It is not necessaryto assume that Lenin solved the problem
of the interplayof materialand ideologicalfactorsin a manner
free of contradiction or entirely in harmony with scientific
knowledge. But the conspirativeactivistsof Russia hammered
out strategy and tactics that continue to influence Russian
leaders. The making of propaganda is primarilya " material"
activityin the sense that it dependsupon the controlof instru-
ments of production, such as presses capable of turning out
magazines, pamphlets and books; and it depends upon hours
of labor devoted to processing and distributingthe product.
It is " material" in the added sense that it is possible to con-
centrate upon audiences who occupy disadvantageousmaterial
2 Concerning the theory of propaganda used by Soviet leaders see Alex
Inkeles, Public Opinion in Soviet Russia (Cambridge, I950).
[216]
positions,and who are thereforesusceptibleto programsfor the

bettermentof theirmaterialstate. The numberof such " sus-
ceptibles" depends upon the intensityof the contradictions
prevailing at a given time and place. If the material instru-
ments of communicationare skillfullyemployed,a very small
concentrationof material factors can reshape the ideas of an
ever-expandingaggregate. Eventually those in control of the
expanded material resources may seize power, and control
enormouslyenrichedmeans for transformingmass ideologieson
a colossal scale.
Once the workershave attained the new ideological perspec-
tive, they can make sure of perpetuatingit intact by utilizing
the materialinstrumentsof communicationwhich can then be
accessible. This is the background for the provisionsappear-
ing in Article 125 of the Constitutionof 1936 relatingto free-
dom of communication. The Articlesays that the rightsof the
individual to free speech (and such) are secured by turning
over to the workersand theirorganizationsthe printingestab-
lishments,stocks of paper, public buildings, streets,means of
communication,and other material conditionsessentialfor the
realization of these rights.
The standing charge against the capitalist world is that the
working masses are full of the illusions disseminatedby the
press, which is said to be under the control of the plutocracy.
Obviously, the assumptionis that whoevercontrolsthe material
instrumentsof communication can imprint upon the passive
mind of the audience images that protect the materialrelation-
ships then prevailing or in prospect. Thus propaganda is
viewed as an activity,low in materialcost, by means of which
the receptivitiescreatedby materialcontradictionscan be made
politicallyeffective.
The disregardof persuasionon the part of the Russian elite
is apparent in the dogmatic finalitywith which the eventual
goal of policy is treated. The elite possessesa rigid,non-debat-
able conception of the future. In this future commonwealth
man is within the realm of freedom and not of necessity
(Engels). The glosson the doctrineas applied by the Russians
is that those who pursue this aim may deny freedomto others
until such time as no material contradictionsremain which are
capable of imprintingideas hostile to the functioningof such
1217]
70 THE DEFENSE OF THE FREE WORLD [VotL. XXIV
a free society. Not the least of the menaces that must be

obliteratedare the streamsof communicationdirected toward
Russian audiences from the material facilities at the disposal
of foreignelites. The Russian ruling group has no hesitation
in using whatever material means are at hand to seal off the
Russian audience fromsuch " subversive" exposure.
The directorsof Russian propaganda do not ignorethe senti-
mentsand assumptionsof theircurrentor prospectiveaudiences.
But this is not for the sake of sharingwith the massesthe task
of creatinga consensus,throughfreediscussion,concerningthe
aims, major policies and top leaders of the body politic. On
the contrary,the scrutinyof the audience is a one-way affair
in which the deviation of the audience from some leadership
objective raises only a tactical problem: namely, what are the
most economical means of overcoming such deviations? At
momentsLenin was brutally frank about his contemptfor the
thoughtsand feelingsof the masseswhen they were other than
he wanted them to be. In common with other modern
tyrannies,the presentleadersof the Russian garrison-policestate
recognizethat so much candor is a source of weakness. Hence
the Stalinists now congratulate themselves upon having the
" most perfect democracy" on earth in which the will of the
people is more fully expressed than anywhere else. Thus is
revived the mystic conception of democracy which makes it
possible for a tyrannyto pretend to "intuit ", free of repre-
sentative mechanisms,the most profound sentimentsof the
people.
Within the frameworkprovided by the secular revelation
of the commonwealthof freedom,all questions are reduced to
the level of tactical expedients. A decent regard for the
opinions and sentimentsof others is superfluousor worse; it
is an act of pandering to the accumulated errorsstamped upon
the human mind by the weight of the materialat the disposal
of previous ruling classes. Honesty is of no value as an ex-
pressionof rectitude; there is always the higher rectitude of
whatevercontributesto the ultimate goal.
The major task of propaganda strategyis proper timing in
relation to the specificdangers and opportunitiesof a given set
of circumstancesfor the power position of the Russian elite.
It is possible to trace the prevailing offensiveand defensive
[218]
strategiesof Russian propaganda. Many essentialfeatureswere
exhibitedin the preparationby Lenin for the seizure of power
in Russia. If we go back to the yearsof deepestdepressionfor
the revolutionarymovement (after the collapse of 1905), we
find that the firsttask of Lenin was to form primarynuclei
capable of furtherexpansion. Lenin and his followers pro-
vided the man-hoursfor propaganda work. They were often
able to gain recruits by direct personal propaganda, often
preceded and facilitatedby the output of the party presses.
When the primary nuclei became sufficientlyabundant to
operateas a significantpart of the power processin tradeunions,
in political partiesand in parliament,a second task took shape.
The problem was to find allies without losing independence.
Now allies,whetherinside or outside of the socialistmovement,
were full of danger to the towering ambitionsof a Lenin (or
Leninists). Without allies thereis the threatof being crushed
entirelyby a combinationof hostileelementswhose strengthis
potentiallyoverwhelming, The propaganda strategyof Lenin
was to keep alive an attitude of suspicion toward allies, while
at the same time lulling the ally into complacency,or diverting
his attention to a common enemy, or fanning disunity.
Propaganda has many means of contributing to the com-
placency of an ally. There is the direct declarationof mutual
friendshipand admiration. And there is the nullifying of
hostile or disturbingmanifestations. The propaganda goal of
diverting attention to a common enemy is comparatively
obvious, but the tactic of fomentingdisunity is exceedingly
complicated. Plainly the ally must not be allowed to weaken
below a point where his usefulnessagainst a common enemy
is lost. But internal tension can absorb attention, and thus
divert attentionfrom inconvenientfeaturesof the Leninist-led
group. The strategyof divisionpaves the way for
coperating
with minoritiesin wreckingor taking over the control of the
ally at some future date.
The thirdstage is the seizureof power, and this sets a some-
what differentpropaganda task, which is to demoralize the
potential opposition, and to gain support, by creating an im-
pressionthat all furtheropposition,or nonco6peration,is both
uselessand immoral.
At any given moment the Lenin-led groups might find it
[291]
72 THE DEFENSE OF THE FREE WORLD [VoL. XXIV
necessaryto assume a defensiveposture,which consistedfor the

most part in masking all hostilepotentialitiesof policy toward
an ally; and in redoublingattemptsto preventor to break up
hostilecombinationsby spreadingcomplacency,fear of a com-
mon enemy,and disunity.
To recapitulatethe strategicr6le of propaganda as a means
of reducing the material cost of expanding and defending
power (as exemplifiedby the Leninists, and followed subse-
quently by the Stalinists): Stage one. The creationof primary
nuclei in which fully indoctrinatedindividualsprovide the solid
corps of full-timelabor for the cause. Stage two. Coaper-
ation with allies in the arenas of power accessibleto the nuclei,
who are by this time sufficiently strong to act as " parties",
"unions ", and the like. The propaganda task is to maintain
the sentimentof having a distinctivemission (inside the party
or "own" group), while at the same time fosteringcertain
attitudes among potential enemies (including allies). The
attitudesinclude complacency toward the party; the diversion
of hostileattentionto a common enemy; the spreadingof dis-
unity. Stage three. Seizure of power. Propaganda demorali-
zation of the oppositionand of noncoi5perators:spreadingfear
or confidencein the inevitabletriumphof the party,and of the
hopelessness and immorality of further opposition or non-
cobperation.a
Consider brieflythe application of these strategicprinciples
to the seizure of power in countries adjacent to Russia (the
present satellites). The firsttask of propaganda in Hungary
or Czechoslovakia was to win enough support to begin to play
a bargainingpart in the ordinaryprocessesof local and national
parliamentarismand administration. This was accomplished
by penetratingthe trade unions, and other private associations.
The second task arose when the party was strong enough to
join coalitions,and to work with allies at everylevel of govern-
ment (including special attemptsto permeatethe ministriescon-
3 The seizureof
powerin Russia was butone stepin the expansionof the
Communist movement, thoughthemostdecisive. In relationto mostof the
worldarena,the Soviet elite is at stage one or two. Stage threehas been
achievedpiecemealin adjacent states. On the internaltransformations in
Russia since I917, see especiallyBarringtonMoore, Jr.,Soviet Politics--
The Dilemma of Power (Cambridge, 1950).
[220o]
cerned with public order and information). The third stage
came with the seizure and consolidation of power by coup
d'e'tat (within a " frameworkof legality"). It was during
the second stage that the greatestversatilitywas requiredin the
handling of Russian propaganda, since it was necessaryto keep
in balance the often contradictorytasks of fosteringa dis-
tinctivesenseof mission,complacencyon the part of potential
enemies (including allies), diversionof attentionto common
enemies, and disunity. This was the period in which such
illusionswere useful as that Russian policy has at last " settled
down " to peaceful coexistenceand to the restorationof genuine
co6perativeeffort. The third stag8 is less subtle and far more
ruthless,sinceit involvesthe spreadingof terror,often by means
of close correlationand co6perationwith acts of violence.4
Looking at the world picture as a whole, it can be said that
Russian propaganda is best served at the firststage (penetrat-
ing a new community) by propaganda that possesseshigh doc-
trinal content. It is the function of propaganda during this
period to provide a professionalnucleus of revolutionariesto
give skillful direction to ensuing activities. Suppose we ask
ourselves why the propagandistsof the Kremlin continue to
repeat so many of the time-worn doctrines of the Marxist
tradition. Clearly the answer is that most of the traditional
doctrinesare of demonstratedeffectiveness in appealing to the
disaffectedof many lands, whetherin the heartlandsof modern
industrialism,or among the peoples long subject to the economic
expansionismof Western states. It is an old story that the
dissolutionof ancient loyaltiesand the break-up of old religious
faiths and philosophicaltraditionshave been signs of, and in
turn contributoryto, the vast transformationsthrough which
mankind is passing in our historicalperiod. It is an old story
that Marxist doctrinehas provided a secular substitutefor the
universalityof aim, of cosmic outlook, and of personal identi-
ficationwith destinywhich were part of earliersystems. No
4 Consult these authoritativeand concise case studies: Ivo Duchacek,
"The Strategyof Communist Infiltration:
Czechoslovakia,1944-48",World
Politics, vol. II, No. 3 (April 1950), pp. 345-72, and "The February Coup
in Czechoslovakia", ibid., July 1950, pp. 511-32; Stephen D. Kertesz, "The
Methods of Communist Conquest: Hungary, 1944-1947", ibid., October
1950, pp. 20-54.
[221]
74 THE DEFENSE OF THE FREE WORLD [VOL. XXIV
doubt it is an old storythat Marxism and liberalismwere co-

ideologies which were alike in attacking the institutionsof a
caste society,and in proclaimingthe importanceof renovating
society for the sake of realizing human dignityin theoryand
fact.
Severalof the doctrinescarriedforwardfromhistoricalMarx-
ism by the elite of Russia have a plausible ring to millions of
human beings who live exposed to the materialand ideological
tensionsof our time. (Note that I now speak only of plausi-
bility,not of truthor falsity.)
Consider the familiarthesisthat there is a tendency toward
monopolyin capitalisticeconomies. Can the plausibilityof this
be denied in the United States, for instance,where monopoly
trendshave been the subject of lament for years?
Consider the thesis that the capitalistic system generates
periodiccrisesof massunemployment. In the lightof "panics",
" crises" and " depressions", can we sweep this entirelyto one
side?
Consider furtherthe thesis that movementsof protest arise
among the nonownersin capitalisticsocieties. This is not im-
plausiblein view of the vitalitydisplayedby protestmovements
in the name of " labor ", "socialism" and other political
symbols.
Again, think of the doctrinethat in parliamentarycountries
the owners abandon democracy in favor of non-democracy
when they feel seriouslythreatenedby movementsof protest.
Is this altogetherimplausible in view of the aid received from
big industrialistsand landlords in the formative stages of
Mussolini's fascism,Hitler's Nazism, or Franco's falangism?
Think also of the thesisthat imperialismis a resultof capital-
istic rivalries for the control of raw materials and markets.
Obviously this gains plausibilityfromthe scramblefor colonies
which enlarged the empiresof England, France, Germany and
Belgium, and which put the United States in the place of Spain
in the Caribbean and the Philippines.
Consider the thesis,that imperialisticrivalriesgenerate wars
among imperial Powers. In this connection it is possible to
point to the rivalries between England and Germany before
1914, and the German thrustfor " living space " in the recent
past.
1222]
Think finally of the revision which the "imperialism and
war " thesishas undergonein recentyears. I referto the con-
ception of capitalistencirclementof the " SocialistFatherland",
and the promotionof armamentand war as means of preparing
an attack upon Russia, particularlyin the hope of diverting
against an outside group the gatheringrage of the unemployed
massesof a collapsingcapitalism. Is it not true that capitalistic
countrieshave been steppingup theirexpendituresof arms?
These doctrinallines have an importantplace in the strategic
balance of Russian propaganda appeals. Recruits continue to
be sought by means of study groups devoted to the writingsof
Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and other acceptable figuresin the
canonical list. That these study groups are effectiveinstru-
mentsof Russian power has been demonstratedmore than once.
May I remindyou that when the Canadian governmentlooked
into the spy ring in Canada, the trail led to study groupsorgan-
ized privatelyas recruitingstationsfor personsof high intellect
and culture. WhereverMarxism-Leninism-Stalinism is ignored
in the advanced educational systemsof a country, or tossed
aside with conspicuousprejudice by teacherswho are obviously
ignorantof the subject, the basis is laid for curiositiesthat may
be gratifiedin privateand faintly(or overtly) clandestinestudy
groups. In these intellectual" speak-easies" the doctrinalsys-
tem is expounded in a pious atmospherefreeof the critical,de-
flating effectof vigorous evalution on a comparative basis.
Study groups are an importantexample of the tactical principle
that it is possibleto move toward effectivepower in an indiffer-
ent or hostilesocietyby limitedconcentrationsof superiorityof
books and man-hours in propaganda work. (The step from
private study to espionageor sabotage is not too long for many
persons to make.)
It is noteworthythat the greatestsuccessesof Russian propa-
ganda have been scored among nonindustrialpeoples. This is
a good example of the choice of audience anywherein the world
wherevermaterial or ideological factors have created tension.
These activitiesare vital at all stages of the power-seizingproc-
ess, but create special resonancesat stages one and two above.
The Russian elite has become progressivelyclearer about the
potential r6le of the " ex-colonial" victimsof " imperialism",
especiallysince so many of the " ex-colonials" live on the con-
[2231
76 THE DEFENSE OF THE FREE WORLD [VOL. XXIV
tinent of Asia within the shadow of the Russian world. The
new noncommunistelitesof thesecountriesare relativelyweak,
while the old elites are largely discredited. The sentimentof
nationalismcan be turned against former" oppressors" and di-
rectly toward complacent cooperation with Russia. Further,
the resentmentof ex-colonials is fed by the rankling memory
of the indignitiesimposed upon them by the " white imperial-
ists". In the traditionalliteratureof socialismthe link between
race prejudice and capitalism has long been forged. The
formula is that capitalistsseek to divide the workersfrom one
another, and to drive wages down, by setting black against
white, yellow against white, and so on. Seizing upon these
cleavages in the respect structureof the non-Russian world,
the strategyof Russian propaganda is to identifyimperialism
and ethnic discriminationwith capitalism. For thispurposethe
chief targetis the strongestcapitalistPower, the United States;
hence, the distortedimage of America as a land with Negroes
hanging from the lampposts, lynched by miserable gangs of
sharecroppersand unemployed workers, incited by ruthless
agents of the plutocracy who are commissionedto keep the
workersat one another'sthroats.5
The conspirative tradition of pre-revolutionarytimes has
left an imprintupon the channelsas well as the contentand the
strategic-tacticalcorrelationof propaganda with total policy.
Consider from this point of view the method of dual organi-
zation. This is the use of an open channel of propaganda which
is closely paralleledby a closed, secretchannel. The technique
can be applied in many ways, as when one is labeled " govern-
mental" and the other "party". If the upper corridor is
closed for reasonsof expediency,the basementis kept in oper-
ation (as when the Comintern was publicly extinguishedin
1943). The secretchannel can be a faction which is entrusted
with the missionof controllingthepolicy of organizationswhich
are nominally independentof party control. Hence the vast
network of "come-on" organizationswhich are used by the
party to permeateevery national community,seeking to reach
the armed forces,the police, the foreign service, business,the
5 For the whole pictureconsult FrederickC. Barghoorn,The Soviet
Image of the UnitedStates; A Studyin Distortion(New York, 1950).
[2241
professions, trade unions, cobperatives, schools, publishing
houses, radio-television,films,and the like. There is a slot for
housewiveswho hate high prices,for motherswho hate war, and
for humanitariansof every hue. Through these organizational
networks a great number of special environmentsare made
available for the restampingof minds, and for expanding the
material facilitieswithin the reach of the Russian leadership.
The Russian technique parallels in a curious way the means by
which in a capitalisteconomythe controlof a giganticnetwork
of private corporationsis obtained througha seriesof minority
stock ownerships. The parallel includes the use of " fronts"
who are called " dummies" in the vernacular of capitalism,
and somethingless complimentaryin the private language of
Russian propaganda.
Dual control was a congenial method in the hands of con-
spiratorLenin, who employeda small clique of disciplesto con-
tinue to do what he wanted to do regardlessof the formalpro-
hibitions of his party. One striking example is the secret
organization by means of which funds were raised through
robbery,counterfeiting, seductionof rich women, and the like.
To this day the channels of Russian propaganda continue to
use the dual structureappropriateto conspiracy. In this way it
is possibleto conduct activitiesof the utmostunscrupulousness.
We can sum up the strategyof Soviet propaganda by say-
ing that the chief strategic aim is to economize the material
cost of protectingand extendingthe power of the Russian elite
at home and abroad. Such propaganda is a struggle for the
mind of man, from the Soviet point of view, only in the sense
that it is a struggle for the control of the material means by
which the mindsof the massesare believedto be molded. Hence
the purpose of Russian propaganda is not peaceful persuasion
of the majorityof the people in a given countryas a prelude to
the taking of power. Rather, the task is conceived as that of a
minority that must remain an ideological minority until it
succeeds in accumulating the materialmeans of obtaining con-
sensus. In the earlystage of penetratinga new community,the
basic task of propaganda is to assistin establishingand shaping
primarynuclei of potentialleadershipat the next stages. When
enough strengthis assembledto admit of a strategyof coalition,
the task is to maintain separatism,coupled with propaganda
1225]
78 THE DEFENSE OF THE FREE WORLD [VOL.XXIV
designedto preventor break up potentiallymorepowerfulcom-

binations. The fosteringof complacency,the diversionof at-
tention to common enemies, and the fomenting of division
among potentialenemies (including momentaryallies) are part
of the strategictasks to be carried through. At the stage of
power seizure the strategyof propaganda is that of demoral-
ization, which is sought in synchronization with terror
as a means of impressingall with the " inevitable" triumphof
Soviet power and the hopelessness,and indeed the immorality,of
resistanceor even noncofperation. Possessinga world-encom-
passing goal that is treatedas beyond the reach of discussionor
inquiry,the ruling few of the Kremlin have no self-limitations
of principle upon the choice of message,channel or audience.
Soviet propagandistsand their agents can lie and distortwith-
out inner restraint,for they are largely immunized from the
claims of human dignity in any other sense than the dignity
of contributingto the ultimategoal of the freeman's common-
wealth by contributingto the present and future power of
the Kremlin elite.
REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN DUNN: After hearing this brilliant legal analysis, you

can wellunderstand whyProfessor Lasswellis at theYale Law School.
You haveheardfroma politicalscientistwho has movedoverinto
law. The next speakeris a law professor who has movedover into
politicalscience. Professor Lasswellhas spokento you abouthow the
Sovietleaderslook upon thissubjectof themindsof men. Professor
Morgenthau, Professorof PoliticalScienceat the University of Chi-
cago, is also an old friendof mine. I thinkyou will findthe same
toughness of mind,thesamesharpness of intellectin his dealingwith
the subject.
I am veryhappyto introduceProfessor Hans Morgenthau.
[226]

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Academy of Political Science

The Strategy of Soviet Propaganda

IT is no news to anyone that Soviet propaganda is full of

What will happen if this strategicgoal is perfectlyattained?

positions,and who are thereforesusceptibleto programsfor the

a free society. Not the least of the menaces that must be

necessaryto assume a defensiveposture,which consistedfor the

doubt it is an old storythat Marxism and liberalismwere co-

designedto preventor break up potentiallymorepowerfulcom-

REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN

CHAIRMAN DUNN: After hearing this brilliant legal analysis, you

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