Public Opinion, and Propaganda in 20th Century America: The Case of the Lippmann/Dewey Debate

The nexus between the public, public opinion, and propaganda garnered scholarly attention not until the 18th century. In the United States, for instance, the debate between the journalist Walter Lippmann and the philosopher John Dewey in the early 20th century on the role of instrumental rationality was key. While the former argued that the opinions of the public are inchoate, and therefore less reliable in running the State, the latter insisted that such a position is anti-democratic, and undermines the sovereign will of the people and their participation in civic discourse. The authors’ respective rhetoric bears implications for the conduct of the mass media in relation to propaganda and manufacture of consent in liberal democracies.