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How Propaganda Works Hardcover – May 26, 2015

by Jason Stanley (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 302 ratings
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How propaganda undermines democracy and why we need to pay attention

Our democracy today is fraught with political campaigns, lobbyists, liberal media, and Fox News commentators, all using language to influence the way we think and reason about public issues. Even so, many of us believe that propaganda and manipulation aren't problems for us―not in the way they were for the totalitarian societies of the mid-twentieth century. In How Propaganda Works, Jason Stanley demonstrates that more attention needs to be paid. He examines how propaganda operates subtly, how it undermines democracy―particularly the ideals of democratic deliberation and equality―and how it has damaged democracies of the past.

Focusing on the shortcomings of liberal democratic states, Stanley provides a historically grounded introduction to democratic political theory as a window into the misuse of democratic vocabulary for propaganda's selfish purposes. He lays out historical examples, such as the restructuring of the US public school system at the turn of the twentieth century, to explore how the language of democracy is sometimes used to mask an undemocratic reality. Drawing from a range of sources, including feminist theory, critical race theory, epistemology, formal semantics, educational theory, and social and cognitive psychology, he explains how the manipulative and hypocritical declaration of flawed beliefs and ideologies arises from and perpetuates inequalities in society, such as the racial injustices that commonly occur in the United States.

How Propaganda Works shows that an understanding of propaganda and its mechanisms is essential for the preservation and protection of liberal democracies everywhere.

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  1. Print length
    376 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Princeton University Press
  4. Publication date
    May 26, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 1 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0691164428
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0691164427
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Winner of the 2016 PROSE Award in Philosophy, Association of American Publishers"

"Provides valuable insights into an important and timely subject."---Michiko Kakutani, New York Times Book Review

"[T]he book crackles with brilliant insights and erudition, while also managing to explain the arcane preoccupations of analytic philosophy in a way that's accessible to a wider audience."----, Bookforum

"How Propaganda Works deserves huge praise and should be read by anyone who cares about politics and language. Its trove of tools and insights is impossible to completely summarise here." ― The National

"As with other books that expose hidden patterns in American political life from a great height (those that come to mind are Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent and Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow), the lofty perspective of How Propaganda Works challenges researchers to fill in gaps with more detailed, particular explanations of how and why."---Stephen Siff, Journalism & Mass Communications Quarterly

"Rich and thoughtful. . . . The best way to fight propaganda is to become savvier about how it manipulates, how it actually works, as Stanley does in his work." ― Desmog Canada

"Brilliant and incisive." ― Survival: Global Politics and Strategy

"[A] timely and important work that contributes a good deal of theoretical understanding to a crucial yet relatively neglected topic of inquiry." ― Spinwatch

"A book uniquely suited to its time. . . . An example of political philosophy at its finest." ― Voegelinview

"Stanley tracks propaganda's history across continents and through decades, illuminating its power to make people vote against their own best interests. And what he has found is [that] the words being used may be as important as the politics behind them."---Nick Osbourne, Boston Globe

"Citing examples ranging from historical racism in America to Citizens United, Stanley's critique of propaganda and ideology will only prove more influential as public and political opinion is further polarized. . . . [A] useful examination of propaganda's pervasiveness." ― Kirkus Reviews

"Stanley has produced a highly stimulating book that brings the issue of propaganda to the attention of political philosophers and draws on an impressive range of philosophical and social scientific sources to illustrate his analysis and provide support for his claims. It is bound to be widely discussed and debated."---Jonathan Wolff, Analysis

"A searching, eclectic, lively and personal book."---Matthew Festenstein, Political Theory

"This is a valuable, one might say indispensable, book in a time when demagogues are succeeding at a level the world has not seen since World War II. I recommend it highly."---Robert J. Sternberg, PsycCRITIQUES

"The book's topic is fascinating, and Stanley’s discussion of the relevance of theories of slurs for an analysis of large portions of public discourse and flawed ideology and its relation to the ideals of liberal democracy will hopefully bear on future research in this field."---Raphael van Riel, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

"A powerful historical account of how propaganda was employed by totalitarian regimes in the past, but it reaches way beyond that. . . . Stanley provides an impressive, holistic view of what propaganda has been historically and how it mutates in the service of today's illiberals. As with every enemy, one needs to be able to recognise it first in order to resist it. And for that reason, it is worth reading Stanley's stellar work on propaganda."---Mateusz Mazzini, New Eastern Europe

"A timely and insightful investigation into the mechanisms of language, social psychology and economic structure that allow propaganda to go largely unnoticed in a democratic context."---Fahad Y. Al-Sumait, Global Discourse

Review

"Jason Stanley's How Propaganda Works is a novel and significant contribution that should revitalize political philosophy."―Noam Chomsky

"Filled with compelling examples, this book examines what propaganda is and what threat bad propaganda poses for democracy. The case it makes―which is conceptual, normative, historical, and empirical―is persuasive and provocative. Stanley is tackling an important topic that many philosophers ignore but shouldn't."―Tommie Shelby, author of We Who Are Dark

"This ambitious book brings Stanley's insights from epistemology and philosophy of language to bear on the self-masking role of propaganda in democracy. Generous use of concrete political applications enliven the book's arguments and drive home the topic's normative importance."―Rae Langton, University of Cambridge

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Princeton University Press; First Edition (May 26, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0691164428
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0691164427
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.19 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 302 ratings

About the author

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Jason Stanley

Jason Stanley

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Jason Stanley is the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University, and the author of seven books.

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4.4 out of 5 stars
302 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book thought-provoking and fascinating. They appreciate the excellent research and good discussion of propaganda. However, opinions differ on readability - some find it fantastic and worth reading, while others say it's hard to read for non-academics.

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Thought provokingReadability
15 customers mention "Thought provoking"14 positive1 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and interesting. They appreciate the excellent research and discussion of propaganda. The author makes strong connections between susceptibility to propaganda and inequality. While some readers found the foray into linguistics interesting, others felt it did not add to their understanding. Overall, customers consider the book a good read on a contemporary topic of interest.

"...is not reasoned opinion supported by evidence but a valid argument with evidence and examples...." Read more

"...is able to supply vivid examples on both the overt and subtle effects of propaganda as it is used to persuade and control a nation...." Read more

"A good read on a contemporary topic of interest. Author is well prepared to delve into the subject and does so in manner that helps a reader to..." Read more

"Excellent examination on Propaganda and how it can be used to advance and destroy democracy...." Read more

22 customers mention "Readability"15 positive7 negative

Customers have different views on the book's readability. Some find it readable and helpful for understanding the subject content, while others find it difficult to understand without being an academic in the field. The author needs to speak more plainly and use better grammar, typos, and awkward language.

"...It's dense. While it is readable, it takes some effort for people who don't have a philosophical background...." Read more

"...With clarity of purpose to expose the true detrimental damage that is inflicted with the use of this tactic as a governing tool...." Read more

"...This book was a bit annoying to read, he went from referencing one philosopher to then referencing a sociologist to referencing another philosopher..." Read more

"...delve into the subject and does so in manner that helps a reader to understand the subject content." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • plgoldsmith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable for Getting Through the Election of 2016
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I am very deeply grateful to this book for helping me through this tempestuous election year (2016). Be forewarned: this is a work of philosophy. It's dense. While it is readable, it takes some effort for people who don't have a philosophical background. But I don't have a background in philosophy, and I was able to absorb it. I took my time and worked through it slowly. What you have here is not reasoned opinion supported by evidence but a valid argument with evidence and examples. At a time when propaganda is literally grinding the earth to pieces, this has been an invaluable resource for me. I feel I now have a foundation for understanding what I take into my nervous system on a daily basis, even with careful filtering of news sources. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to investigate the origin and power of the illusions that distract us from the single task we should all be focused on, the one that won't wait: how to mitigate and hopefully survive climate chaos.
    43 people found this helpful
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  • Larry Dieli
    5.0 out of 5 stars The pernicious effects of a big lie
    Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    the author is able to supply vivid examples on both the overt and subtle effects of propaganda as it is used to persuade and control a nation. With clarity of purpose to expose the true detrimental damage that is inflicted with the use of this tactic as a governing tool. Highly recommended for these times.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Carlos Cortez
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good book for our time
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A good read on a contemporary topic of interest. Author is well prepared to delve into the subject and does so in manner that helps a reader to understand the subject content.
    One person found this helpful
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  • land lover
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must read. Slug through it and learn!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Noam Chomsky recommends this. Its not an easy read, but it is worth it.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • M. Kenny
    5.0 out of 5 stars Should be read with his book "How Fascism Works"
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent examination on Propaganda and how it can be used to advance and destroy democracy. Propaganda is a chief weapon of Fascism and we are seeing it's rise in countries around the world that wish to get rid of democratic ideas and replace them with fascist ones.
    21 people found this helpful
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  • No name
    3.0 out of 5 stars Little to no original argument presented, but not bad enough for one star
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I think Stanley tries to do a lot in this book and unfortunately accomplishes very little. I think the link for equal distribution and epistemic inequality could use more focus. This book was a bit annoying to read, he went from referencing one philosopher to then referencing a sociologist to referencing another philosopher and then inserting premises as he sees fits, ergo the organization and format of this book was poor. However, I think there are some good points he glosses over. As a Descartes fan and an advocate of the Cartesian epistemic approach to things we confront, he rightfully highlights that a huge problem with propaganda is not just about the ones who give it, rather the ones who receive it. In addition, I feel like I was reading a book from someone who simply studied philosophy and does not philosophize.

    Now I have seen some reviews on here stating "he should've called this an argument for marxism" or something of that nature. People approaching this book with that attitude are probably part of the crowd Stanley is rightfully critiquing. In fact, just to play Stanley's advocate, must of the negative reviews I have seen on here are not for the right reasons, I believe.

    I can't give this book two and a half stars so I will bump it to three. If this book was better organized and more concise and contained more original argument, I would easily give it four stars.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent read. Jason Stanley gives you a background on ...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is an excellent read. Jason Stanley gives you a background on propaganda, and then proceeds to explain how it works in a liberal democracy like the U.S. In today's world, with so many things being call "fake" this is a resource that can give us all a baseline from which to draw conclusions. Professor Stanley, keep writing!
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Melissa L
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wanna know how your government manipulates everything? Read this.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A little dense on occasion, and once in a while it feels as if the author isn't confident in his examples so he repeats them. Despite these rather minor drawbacks, this is a fantastic book and one everyone should read.
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Brian D. Cunnington
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent overview and easy to read
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Every one must read to understand how democracy is slowly being replaced.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    By autocracy funded and controlled by the rich through with newly devised dog whistles and social media misuse.
    Report
  • Arnaldo Mandel
    3.0 out of 5 stars Repetitivo
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 6, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Para mim, que não sou do ramo, foi interessante aprender certos conceitos de filosofia política, e conhecer algumas opiniões. A idéia central do autor, de "ideologias falhas" como substrato para o funcionamento de propaganda política, parece sólida e de bom valor explicativo. Só que não precisava ficar martelando cada idéia por páginas e páginas, repetindo definições e cansando este leitor. Nesse sentido, a velha piada sobre filósofos não usarem a lata de lixo encontra guarida neste livro. Que fal faz um bom editor!
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
    Reviewed in Japan on June 18, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent!
    Report
  • Fernwanderer ultraleicht Küche mit Herbert
    5.0 out of 5 stars klassiker dieses themas
    Reviewed in Germany on April 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Wer sich heute noch nicht mit diesem Thema intersiver beschäftigt, hat seinen Kopf im Sand....eines von sehr vielen Büchern zum Thema und ein Klassiker,
    Report