In the context of government of a democratic nation then, public opinion, that is, the perspective of the "beholder," is the most prized possession. So, to what extent should the political establishment go in order to secure the good opinion of the public, indeed the majority, so as to gain or retain office? Where in democracy does the power of persuasion fit? Or is it all just propaganda? And what is the difference?
While both persuasion and propaganda may be rooted, however loosely, in fact, neither relies on the consumer's intelligence to interpret the facts for themselves and come to a conclusion on the particular topic about which they are being enticed to decide. Ironically, to do so would leave too much of the decision-making power in the hands of the individual. Instead, communication intended to influence decision-making in a democracy is designed to try and make the decision for them. This, however, is entirely "un-American" and exactly the opposite of what is necessary to be a responsible citizen in a democracy รป one must find the root of their own soul first, and then from that very primary experience, gather sources from a variety of perspectives in order to make a truly educated decision.
Consider the words of Plato in his Phaedrus. Socrates says:
A man must know the truth about all the particular things of which he speaks or writes and must be able to define everything separately; then when he has defined them, he must know how to divide them by classes until further division is impossible; and in the same way he must understand the nature of the soul, must find out the class of speech adapted to each nature, and must arrange and adorn his discourse accordingly, offering to the complex soul claborate and harmonious discourses, and simple talks to the simple soul. Until he has attained to all this, he will not be able to speak by the method of art, so far as speech can be controlled by method, ei...