EFFECT OF LANGUAGE OF PROPAGANDA ON PERSUADING VOTERS IN NIGERIA
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EFFECT OF LANGUAGE OF PROPAGANDA ON PERSUADING VOTERS IN NIGERIA
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Man is a political animal by nature. This implies that man is both social and solitary. Politics is concerned with ‘who gets what’, ‘when and how’. It defines the process by which power and influence are utilised to advance specific values and interests (Lasswell, 1977).
Being involved in politics is therefore challenging since certain factors must be considered. This is the use of propaganda language in politics as a convincing technique, which has a substantial effect on voter behaviour and is the focus of this study. This is also known as “political language.”
Political campaigns are coordinated efforts to influence decision-making within a certain group or setting. It can also be defined as the mobilisation of forces, either by an organisation or by people, to persuade others to make a specific and desired political change.
It demonstrates people’s ability to sensitise the political community in order for the community to regard them as potentials and better representatives of the people. In any case, each campaign is distinct, and the ultimate goal of practically every political campaign is election victory (Lynn, 2009).
The provision of freedom to talk and write whatever we want (within the bounds of decency and libel laws) is one of our democracy’s most valuable liberties. However, this freedom of expression opens the door to propaganda for those who are unscrupulous enough to use it for their own gain.
Propaganda was once a respectable phrase, initially referring to the dissemination of positive news. When Goebbels, Hitler, and other Fascists began to use the term to describe their promotional operations, propaganda began to fall out of favour. Today, propaganda is associated with sneaky and subversive methods of influencing people to achieve predefined goals (Danziger, 1998).
Propaganda messages are commonly transmitted through news stories, government reports, historical revision, junk science, books, pamphlets, movies, radio, television, and posters. Propaganda can appear on radio and television as news, current-affairs, or talk-show segments, as advertising or public-service announcement “spots,” or as long-running advertorials.
The use of propaganda language in campaigns frequently follows a deliberate transmission pattern in order to indoctrinate the target demographic. This could start with anything as basic as a brochure dropped from a plane or an advertising.
In general, these messages will provide instructions on how to access additional information, such as a website, hot line, radio programme, and so on.
Through reinforcement, the technique attempts to transition the individual from information recipient to information seeker, and ultimately from information seeker to opinion leader via indoctrination. The’message’ that is given to the electorates appears to be quite significant in any political campaign.
A campaign message is an important and powerful instrument that politicians use to present their thoughts and feelings to the public in order to reshape and redirect the electorates’ opinions to match with theirs through the use of propaganda language.
The message should be a basic statement that can be repeated numerous times over the campaign season to persuade the target audience or influence voters to act in support of the candidates while painting the opposition in a negative light.
The salient ingredients that the candidate desires to convey with the people should be included in the campaign message, and these should be repeated frequently in order to leave a lasting impression on the voters.
Propaganda is defined as the deliberate expressing of thoughts or acts by individuals or groups in order to influence the opinions or actions of other individuals or groups for specified purposes through psychological manipulations (Jacque, 1965).
It is typically repeated and spread throughout a variety of media in order to agitate and sensitise voters and, as a result, aid in the damaging of an opponent.
Persuasion is the process by which someone appeals to good judgement in order to achieve his goals, usually through reasoned arguments or logic. A compelling language calms voters, especially when topics or issues revolving around difficulties that influence voters are regularly discussed during the campaign.
It follows that political campaign language, as embodied in propaganda and rhetoric, is persuasive because most politicians use these linguistic devices to persuade voters to vote for them and their political parties by presenting themselves as the only capable individuals for the position (Omozuwa and Ezejideaku, 2007).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Politics’ propaganda language has been described as a language of scorn and censure, pleading and persuasion, colour and bite. It is a language intended to excite some men, demolish others, and persuade others (Omozuwa and Ezejideaku, 2007).
The point is that the phenomena of persuasion is an essential component of politics and the quest and exercise of power. Politicians employ a range of strategies to capture voters’ attention and develop credibility and trust among voters. However, the researcher want to investigate the impact of promotional language in persuading Nigerian voters.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad goal of this study is to investigate the effect of propaganda language on convincing voters in Nigeria, and the specific goals are as follows:
To investigate the impact of promotional language on voter persuasion in Nigeria.
To recognise several forms of political promotion methods in Nigeria.
To determine how politicians gain from the use of propaganda language as a persuasive tactic.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What influence does propaganda language have on influencing Nigerian voters?
In Nigeria, what are the various forms of political propaganda strategies?
How do politicians gain from the use of propaganda language as a persuasive tool?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO: Propaganda language cannot be utilised to persuade Nigerian voters.
In Nigeria, propaganda language can be used to persuade voters.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s implications:
The general electorate will benefit from this study on the influence of propaganda language used by political leaders on their actions. It will also educate political stakeholders on the many sorts of propaganda and their impact on voter persuasion.
This research will also serve as a resource for other academics and researchers interested in conducting additional research in this sector, and if implemented, it will go so far as to provide new explanations for the topic.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study on the effect of propaganda language on influencing voters will include all propaganda strategies used in politician speeches during the electioneering campaign. It will also discuss the advantages of using propagandist language in politics.
STUDY LIMITATIONS
Financial constraint- A lack of funds tends to restrict the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection procedure (internet, questionnaire, and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will conduct this investigation alongside other academic activities. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Politics: the actions related with the governing of a country or region, particularly the debate between powerful parties.
Propaganda: information, particularly biassed or misleading information, used to further a political cause or point of view.
Language: a means of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the structured and conventional use of words.
Voters: individuals who vote or have the right to vote in an election.
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