Power, and Elite Theories
There are, however, two schools of describing the political system. In this respect some say that it is a cybernetic system of communication and feed-back. Others attempt to characterize all human interaction as per suasion broadly conceived. In their view persuasion as a way of social control does not seem to play the defining role in any complex system that exchange plays in market system or authority in government.
However, as Lindelom says in Politics and Market “advertising is one of the first of two comprehensive plans of persuasion which had not been seen until the twentieth century – basis incessant, broadly targeted and vast in the resources poured into it”.17 The second, however, is a programme of huge, centrally managed, and saturating political indoctrination. “Persuasion of the second kind is a principal instrument of totalitarianism or – to avoid the controversies that have sprung up around the term – of systems characterized by extraordinary attempts of elites to establish authority so broad, so deep, so unconstrained as to require the emasculation of the authority of church, Labour union, fraternal association, school – even family. In this guise, persuasion comes closer to becoming the defining element of a whole system”.18
German and Italian fascism can be best described in Tocqueville’s terms as minute regular, provident, and mild. “It employed indoctrination to capture men ‘s minds so that they would ‘willingly do what harsher controls did not therefore need to compel”.19 Almost 150 years ago Tocqueville predicted German and Italian fascism. Similar forecast could apply to communism.
Communist states will also spread all over the globe, because nothing could deter one from thinking that if fascism could go along with employing such indoctrination why should communism’ not succeed.
It is worth noting that democracy is mother of fascism. First it was method of authoritarian control responding to the age of democracy. As citizens become educated, informed, and ambitious enough to press for democracy, in reaction the authoritarian rulers found it essential to convince them that it is not needed. Thus if democratic demands had not been aroused, fascism would never have been born.
Collective ideas and beliefs together with material factors are basis of social integration which is the fundamental. Underlying purpose of control. It is however important to point out that material factors must be seen as conditioned by opinions, beliefs and feelings, otherwise they are not important.
“A society in which there is a just distribution of goods and property, but which the citizens believe to be unjust, is not as well integrated as a society in which the distribution is unjust, but which the citizens believe to be unjust, is not as well integrated as a society in which the distribution is unjust, but which citizens consider to be just.”20 In order to have a successful integration process it is very important to have influential collective beliefs and images. There are two ways of conditioning it “One may take direct action by developing community feelings and by, restraining individualistic tendencies”.21 Such as condemning individualism and selfishness, and on the other hand to praise dedication, national pride, civic virtue, and altruism. The other method is “acting indirectly through the presentation of facts, emphasizing those that are conducive to integration and concealing or disguising the others”.22 This dual psychological process is an important and increasing job of the state and its political power. Education is the first step in the citizens’ life which influences their psychology when they are in their childhood.
