On Fri, 12 Jan 2001 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> And if we come forward in time we see the same techniquess with new players
> and new stories.
> Consider the BCNI and the early "research" done by the Fraser Institute or
> the American Enterprise Institute or the Cato Foundation. The drumbeat of
> "markets know best" "governments can only cause harm" "globalization is
> inevitable " has been so constant (and so uncontested ) that before long it
> became accepted as true.
Yes, I have on order from the New York Public Library a photocopy of a 84
page pamphlet published in 1903 and edited by William Wolff Smith, who
just happens to be the FIRST public relations counselor to set up shop in
Washington D.C. The minutes of the National Association of Manufacturers'
convention from 1903 present a disarmingly straightforward account of how
they proposed to go about molding "public opinion" and there are magazine
exposes from the period precisely detailing the game. In 1913, the NAM's
extensive and nefarious political lobbying, congressional vote-buying,
labour spying and violent strike breaking activities were exposed and
condemned in a congressional investigation. Press reports and President
Wilson referred to their activities as "the invisible government".
The NAM's disgrace didn't last long. By the end of World War I, they were
coming on strong with their "American Plan" for business, basically a
moderation of their anti-union Open Shop campaign of the 1900s -- adding a
few employee benefit carrots to the old anti-union stick. The depression
of the 1930s proved to be another setback to the heavily promoted business
gospel. In PR: A History of Spin, Stuart Ewen recounts how the NAM once
again picked itself up, dusted itself off and campaigned furiously for
"The American Way" (code for overturning the gains acheived by labour
during the FDR administration).
It is fascinating to observe how each of these successive pr campaigns for
the business gospel accomodate themselves to public attitudes they know
they can't change by dropping obviously archaic language, but they boldly
present the same old arguments using updated jargon and freshly minted
made-to-order "data".
Tom Walker
Sandwichman and Deconsultant
Bowen Island
(604) 947-2213
