Saturday, June 14, 2014

Word of the Day: Agitprop

ag·it·prop

noun \ˈa-jət-ˌpräp\
 

Definition of AGITPROP

:  propaganda; especially :  political propaganda promulgated chiefly in literature, drama, music, or art
agitprop adjective
 

Origin of AGITPROP

Russian, ultimately from agitatsiya agitation + propaganda
First Known Use: 1935
 

agitprop

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)
Political strategy in which techniques of agitation and propaganda are used to influence public opinion. Originally described by the Marxist theorist Georgy Plekhanov and then by Vladimir Ilich Lenin, it called for both emotional and reasoned arguments. The term, a shortened form for the Agitation and Propaganda Section of the Communist Party in the former Soviet Union, has been used in English, typically with a negative connotation, to describe any work—especially in drama and other art forms—that aims to indoctrinate the public and achieve political goals.

further explanation +
 

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