People must never be allowed to become despondent; so victories must be exaggerated and defeats, if not concealed, at any rate minimized, and the stimulus of indignation , horror, and hatred must be assiduously and continuously pumped into the public mind by means of 'propaganda.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Public morale must be kept high; victories are overstated, defeats downplayed, and propaganda constantly fuels anger and hatred.
- In plain terms
- Governments amplify wins and hide losses to keep public support.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek balanced information about conflicts.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does exaggerated propaganda affect long‑term trust?
- Can societies function without such morale‑boosting lies?
Another view
Not all societies use such extreme propaganda; some maintain press freedom.
More from Arthur Ponsonby
Lying, as we all know, does not take place only in war-time. Man, it has been said, is not 'a veridical animal,' but his habit of lying is not nearly so extrao…
Permalink to quote #7 The use of the weapon of falsehood is more necessary in a country where military conscription is not the law of the land than in countries where the manhood of…
Permalink to quote #9 Falsehood is a recognized and extremely useful weapon in warfare, and every country uses it quite deliberately to deceive its own people, to attract neutrals, …
Permalink to quote #6
Related quotes
Of course, it was not a true uprising of the people. It was inspired by America and other agents. The 'Voice of America' really started it.
Paul RobesonPaul Robeson quote #5 Falsehood is a recognized and extremely useful weapon in warfare, and every country uses it quite deliberately to deceive its own people, to attract neutrals, …
Arthur PonsonbyArthur Ponsonby quote #6 I do not by any means want to deny that I and my fellow workers selected news and quotations following a certain tendency. It is the curse of propaganda during…
Hans FritzscheHans Fritzsche quote #8