(Collapse of the Berlin Wall)
During the 20th century, with the development of mass communication methods, public diplomacy became the weapon of choice for many governments. It aims to promote the state’s interest through influencing the opinion of a population (in most cases foreign but it can be directed at the states own population). Influence is exerted through information, true or false, to either gain support for the policies the state wants to pursue or turn it against another (foreign) government or a cause which is not in line with its policies.
In todays’ world of mass media and instant news – there is not politics without public diplomacy, or even propaganda. It’s all about PR. One well publicised situation can achieve more for the state’s interest than years of conferences and negotiations.
One recent example is the development in Polish-Russian relations.
Centuries of hostilities and wars have ingrained in the two nations distrust and animosity towards each other. But one tragic event provided the platform which allowed the governments to show their willingness to bury the hatchet and start cooperating, and at the same time provided them with opportunity to sway the public opinion in support of it.
The Presidential plane crash in Smolensk, on its way to commemorate 70th anniversary of Katyn atrocities was used by the Russian leaders to show their support and compassion for Poland. The vey public gestures of paying respects to the victims by the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, shoulder to Shoulder to shoulder with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk
as well as Russian President’s quest to attend the funeral, despite the disruption caused by the volcanic ash have helped to convince the polish people, and the world, that Russia is ready to take responsibility for its sins, and thereby ushered a new era in the Polish-Russian relations.
(http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63G0ZY20100418)
The power of public opinion is great as well as strong is its potential to bring changes to political arena. However, don't you think public opinion and its 'decisions' way to often is backed up by propaganda, of an certain government, interest group or etc, to achieve bigger or smaller goals? With the effect of the mass media, that the world has the last century, I believe it is not hard to create one or another 'truth' or image.
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