Cultural imperialism and cultural diplomacy

Introduction

Perhaps, “cultural imperialism” and “cultural diplomacy” are sufficiently young, but it concerns only word combinations. Mankind always  tries to chose definitions to different phenomena, in particular in sphere of politics, in such way  the words “ideology”, “myth”, “propaganda” have appeared. 

Cultural imperialism and cultural diplomacy can be considered just as  more or less aggressive method of propaganda activity.

The process of clearance of relationship between journalism and propaganda is as two instruments of cultural diplomacy and cultural imperialism.

What is the aim of cultural diplomacy and cultural imperialism: forming of political regimes, decision of some economical problems or something else? A large use of considering definitions makes doubts that the aim of spreading ideas can be contain in one word. Most probably it is a complex of aims. But what politics is more successful? “Whip” politics or “cake” politics?

New epoch, epoch of globalization, epoch of powerful mass media has opened new opportunities for propaganda. A man is grasped from TV every day; the material chosen by journalists has turned out in a stream of huge amount of information. “It is [TV] the crucial source of information about the outside world”. (Negrine op. Cit., ibid., p. 100). Naturally that if even journalists have no enough time for interpretation of the information, what hopes may be for average spectator to interpret this information correctly. “TV is a “heavily selected interpretation of events” (R. Hoggart “Bad news”. London, 1976, p.x.). In the stream of the information a spectator managed by own prejudices and moral brought from without is building from the information knots a picture of   his own world. People received  the opportunity to know so many things  without  learning anything. At  the sense level a person  understands that he is manipulated (probably because of that spectator’s appreciation  of journalists are so low). From the other side the information containing burning topics of the day, sharply and easily for understanding given, wakes up  in a person so powerful impulse  which it’s very difficult not to be  obeyed. As  never before a man has become such unprotected  against foreign influence, the question is what ideology will be more correct key for this or that country.     From the other side despite that a man has learned to get over large distances for a short time, people have not became  closer one another. It may be called “the theory of unknown people”. Unknown people  are making clothes for us, selling  foods,  unknown people are defending us as a Police, unknown people are teaching our children, building our houses. When we are traveling  by bus or by plane our lives are in the hands of unknown people. Why not to let  these unknown people to take possessions of our minds (through TV and sound speakers)?

May be supposed that this space  being free from critical interpretation in human consciousness offers the opportunity for enforcing of  culture (in context of cultural imperialism).  But aforementioned statement has reverse side as well. Since the borders between that as supposed is personal and private and that is not so, have no the same sense as were before, people have worked out the immunity against information aggressiveness. 

The opportunity of comparison may have its influence; access to large amount of information let people to compare thrusting ideas with the reality. Thus the slogan “Dreamland is good because it is wonderful” is not working any more.

 Before the  World War II  in world politics only 10 countries played  essential part. After the War  practically all countries began to play their parts  in the world politics. Economical and political reasons have come to the situation when the ideology has become the  well developed science.  Cultural imperialism as well as cultural diplomacy have appeared  in the result of development of ideology and propaganda. Differentiation of ideology, foundation of politics-ideological complexes, access  of scientists to practical politics (J. Kennedy, T. Kissinger) and taking part of scientists in creation of ideological systems as well as organization of expert centers in  this field - all these resulted in foundation of whole system of measures on foreign policy, particularly in cultural diplomacy.

A needful influence using rude methods of cultural imperialism can be hardly have an affect,  countries at which the cultural imperialism can be aimed have too probable  chance of maneuver. Cultural diplomacy and cultural imperialism as a part of ideological war became a strategic weapon using a subtle instruments of influence. Perhaps Chechen War became one of the failures of cultural imperialism. Here should be mentioned that religious factor has played an important part. It is one of the reason that confirms impossibility  of rude influence can be applicable.

It may be supposed that a peace after the war in Chechen, long-drawn-out Israel - Palestine conflict and Desert fox, is in condition of sufficient fragile balance, that can be ground for conclusion that cultural imperialism isn’t applicable at all, since it would directed at a country playing an insignificant part in world politics, and would be identified in time and met by opposite measures,  consequences might  be tragic.

On the contrary cultural diplomacy is the war without victims. To avoid    any impact of cultural diplomacy a country can only in case  of  the  isolation from foreign world is available (Iraq, North Korea). Since that it is one of the sign of the totalitarian state, but it’s not excluded that the regime will aim its powerful ideological machine at its people. It’s all the same for the cultural imperialism but only within the limits of one state. If one of the purposes of cultural imperialism in foreign policy would be the spreading of a political regime, so in case of totalitarian country the aim of propaganda, creation of myths, ideology became in general the support of a regime. Too much energy must be spent for the support of information units.

Supposedly that cultural imperialism as well as cultural diplomacy is aimed by one country or a group of countries at other country. Sometimes instruments of political influence are aimed at population of the own state, for example at representatives of a large group of national minority. In this case the use of aggressive methods of cultural imperialism can not be acceptable, since in this way a serious national conflict can be provoked and the chain of ones has flushed within the territory of the former USSR in the beginning of 90-th years.  

Real needs including economical reasons  in regular spreading of the information have occurred. Needs in instrument of selecting of this information have came. In practice it could be realized together with the development of technique of printing of books in XV - XVI centuries, when in Europe  the first periodical press  appeared. Journalism became a special type of activity.  Propaganda started its development earlier: the method of influence upon the opponent, social political instrument of classes. The “relationship between paper and reader was this being changed from the ideal one of a tutorial and intellectual nature, to one of a market character”. (A.J. Lee “The Origins of the Popular Press 1855 - 1914, London, 1976, p. 121).

Journalism may be non-connected with politics, but propaganda can  not. As a powerful weapon propaganda always aspires to enlarge an  application  of   its instrument: the word was added by a text in writing. (Pamphlets, leaflets of the time of  the  Peasant’s War in Germany, Pugachyov’s letters).

Journalism perhaps from the moment of its birth has grasped 3 functions. The first one is the selecting and lighting of the facts of every day life, the second function is the spreading of appraisals and minds and the third one is different shows.

The complication of relationship of such definitions as journalism and propaganda is determined by that the journalism is more special definition regarding to propaganda. The phenomenon of journalism has many senses. The periodical press has wider sphere of interests than propaganda. It includes every day informing about facts and actual events. In this respect propaganda is a part of periodical presswork. From the other side journalism is the complexity of technical means of circulation of information messages and materials of propaganda (newspapers, TV, radio) and at this way journalism is one of the instruments of propaganda machine. Propaganda has its own distinguishing features in application of means and weapons of its influence. In its arsenal there are placards, leaflets, photos, means of mass media. Journalism addresses only a large auditorium and its activity can be determined by system of means specially foreseen for circulation of its publications. Propaganda is an ever-lasting companion of the periodical press; therefore many journalists are propagandists as well. Even in the media there are many propaganda materials or materials related to propaganda, are beyond from periodical press. Newspapers are publishing official governmental messages; TV canals are carrying out direct translations from meetings. This propaganda can not be related to own creations of journalists, therefore for calling of the propaganda, which is professional work of journalists, can be used the term “Journalism propaganda”.

Periodical press has its an important mobilizing influence upon people and stimulates social activity as well. It seems that journalism is called as “literature made in a hurry” and in comparison with classical fiction literature it (journalism) must have less influence. A fiction literature uses more sharp, more bright and figurative word. But journalism, probably because of effect of participation, has the strongest “impulse” influence upon minds, directions and behavior of people. Perhaps one of the secrets of this influence is the unique combination of means, which are available for journalism. Reality of the fact which has been taken from the present day plus magnetic strength of an idea plus understandable word and representation. Disappearance of one of these three above-mentioned means destroys a complex of the modern journalism. For periodical press a conjunction of three components: energy, propaganda and publicity, - may be compulsory, since it’s the strong factor of influence upon a social consciousness.

Propaganda is closely bound with a science ideology. The ideology partly is the method of thinking which taken from without as well as propaganda serves for ideology can not contain such idealism definitions as truth, objectivity, impartiality. According to its character propaganda is tendentious but not objective.

Soviet theoretic scientists have been tried to prove Scientific features of propaganda through the term “ the true of an idea or a mind” recognizing by that the right of elite, making up socials myths and ideology, to operate with human consciousness. 

Though propaganda always brings to a man a moral and directions ab extra. The question is at what degree a man can be operated and how many different ideologies are aimed at a man, has a person the opportunity of a choice in that - what illusion can be used?

 It should be mentioned that mass media at the  definite point must support political power as well as state structure. “So long as newspapers remain cure of political authority, they are beyond criticism; once they challenge that authority, they suffer the full force of its reaction” (R. Negrine “Politics and the Mass Media in Britain”. London. 1994. P. 47 - 48).

Is a hamburger the part of national politics? Who is more popular: Uncle Sam or Mickey Mouse? Can Michael Jackson, for example, to inculcate a love to American culture? These questions could be analyzed through the theory of creation of myths.

It’ s necessary to mention that creation of myths as well as ideology and propaganda comes sufficiently closely to determination of cultural diplomacy. If the following interpretation of creation of myths would available: as the process of constructing of the image system with the subject presented as essential for a person social reality, in this case the difference with the subject of cultural diplomacy is not so large. In case of making the question more simply and to determine the aim of a myth is to provide the opportunity of orientation, the difference with the purposes of cultural diplomacy becomes less. The problem is as usual since in context of political science (Ortega, Gasset) myth is bound closely with political elite which is working out political myths spreading upon all around. In myth there is not limits, but cultural diplomacy is aimed at determined real subject. In this case myths making up by cultural diplomacy are concerning the creation of myths as a part is related to whole object.

Returning to aforementioned it may be concluded that a numerous industry of amusements or “pop industry” can not bring all load of cultural diplomacy. Positive impressions of culture of a state must be formed in development. The word “ diplomacy” supposes not impulses but a process of thinking. The impulses are corresponding to mass industry and love for popular music is going away so quickly as a feeling of satiety after eating a hamburger.

Besides that since cultural diplomacy is leaning for the support of the elite and the influence must be extended to the most intelligent and educated population therefore the instruments must be delicate. For example the song of Elton John “Yellow Brick Road” never can inculcate the love to England but if the sound track would be provided by representation of the Big Ben, House of Parlament and other great creations of British architecture, an excellent result might be achieved.

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