Guided democracy: The Illusion of Choice. ( Walter Lipmann, Chomsky and Edward Bernays )

Guided/managed democracy -- Based on the ideas of Noam Chomsky, I will explore the concept of guided democracy where the bewildered herd are encouraged to vote correctly. We look at some examples from Walter Lipmann and Edward Bernays.

“The public must be put in its place,” Walter Lippmann wrote, so that we may “live free of the trampling and the roar of a bewildered herd,” whose “function” is to be “interested spectators of action,” not participants. And if the state lacks the force to coerce and the voice of the people can be heard, it is necessary to ensure that that voice says the right thing, as respected intellectuals have been advising for many years.

A Guided democracy functions as a de facto autocracy. Such governments are legitimized by elections that are free and fair but do not change the state's policies, motives, and goals. In other words, the government controls elections so that the people can exercise all their rights without truly changing public policy. Under guided democracy, the state's continuous use of propaganda techniques prevents the electorate from having a significant impact on policy.

A Guided democracy is also called a managed democracy

Media, Persuasion and Propaganda

#politics #chomsky #guideddemocracy