The art of political persuasion has been a constant feature of politics since the sixteenth century, when the great Florentine diplomat, Niccolo Machiavelli, first began to formalise the concept with his (striking!) political advice. From the seventeenth century onwards these ‘dark arts’ took on an added impetus, both driven by and driving, the needs of an emerging mass political culture. And this was increasingly marked in turn by the rising threat of popular revolt and the potent power of the emerging mass media. As a result, the ability to persuade, convince and even to control one's audience quickly became an essential qualification for all aspiring politicians, both democratic and dictatorial.
This course will examine the emergence of these developments through time, looking at the key markers which drove change, in media and politics alike. These will include the rise of caricature and the press; film and television; and the art of political spin. The role of key practitioners of these arts will be a further consideration, beginning with the pioneering works of Machiavelli himself and the French political artist (and Terrorist) Jacques Louis David. We will also examine those figures who did so much to shape the tumultuous mass politics of the twentieth century era including Lloyd George, FDR, Goebbels, Stalin, Macmillan, and Tony Blair. Finally the course will end with an exploration of the twenty first century picture, as we look at the role and effect of sophisticated mass communications, and the rise of social media, in today’s political world, considering the impact and implications.