Is propaganda a value-neutral form of persuasion?
No – propaganda is, by definition, weighted information. The name comes from the Catholic missionary organization “Propaganda Fidei”, which means “Propagation of the Faith”, now known as “Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples”. Both versions of the name make clear that the organization is dedicated to conversion to Christianity. So propaganda means “information that is weighted”. That does not mean that it is necessarily wrong, or that it is necessarily bad. But it does mean that the originator is intending to persuade, and it is therefore not value-neutral.
