Propaganda

A communication tool employed in order to influence the perceptions or beliefs of an individual or a group of people by presenting a one-sided argument. As propaganda is based on biased information, it is not generally an informative tool, but rather an emotional one, cleverly twisting situations to instil a certain distorted belief in an individual or group. Propaganda is used by governments, religious organizations and mass media to promote an agenda. The term was first associated with the Catholic Church during the 17th Century, but became more associated with politics in the mid-1800s. Propaganda tools were perhaps most infamously used during the Second World War.