" That may be true - it's probably why some political advertisements have been so effective, such as the "Daisy" ad used against Goldwater in 1964 and the "Willie Horton" ad used by then-Vice President George Bush against Michael Dukakis. Both of those ads were effective, but I question anyone who would argue that the ads were honorable.
The one instance I can think of in which propaganda was utilized effectively and honorably was in some of the campaigns used by the U.S. government at home during World War II. Slogans such as "Loose lips sink ships" and the like seemed to influence the public, and they weren't harmful.
This, however seems to be the exception to the rule. In that case, the propaganda may have been essential, and it wasn't dishonorable, but it's the only case I can think of that supports Welch's argument. The rest seems to meet the "essential" part of his argument, but the other instances never seem to be honorable.
This exercise has also made me wonder if government propaganda can be effective any more for any length of time. The U.S. government apparently used propaganda to engage in a war with Iraq (whether they meant to or not), but it didn't last long because details came out about the government's information. And it seems that most arguments in favor of the war are falling on deaf ears any more as the public seems to want the war to be over.
Another factor that may cause the use of propaganda to be less useful for governments...
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