Public Relations and the History of Ideas

159 Pages·2015·0.948 MB·English

by  Simon Moore

Public Relations and the History of Ideas
Thisstimulatingandinnovativebookexplorestengreatworks,bywell-known
thinkersandorators,whoseimpacthasbeenintellectual,practicalandglobal.
Most of theworks significantly precede public relations as aphrase or profes-
sion,butallareinnodoubtabouttheforceofplannedpubliccommunication,
and the power that lies with those managing the process.
The works are stimulating and diverse andwerewritten to address some of
society’s biggest challenges. Although not traditionally the focus of public
relationsresearch,theyhaveallhadaglobalimpactascommunicatorsandas
the foundation for fundamental ideas, from spirituality towar and economics
tosocialjustice.Eachaddressestheimplicationsofstructuredcommunication
between organizations and societies, and scrutinizes or advocates activities
that are now central to PR and its morality. They could not ignore PR, and
PR cannot ignore them.
This book will be essential reading for researchers and scholars in public
relations and communication and will also be of inter-disciplinary interest to
study in sociology, literature, philosophy and history.
Simon Moore is Associate Professor and Chair in Information Design and
Corporate Communication at Bentley University, USA.
Routledge New Directions in Public Relations and
Communication Research
Edited by Kevin Moloney
RoutledgeNewDirectionsinPublicRelationsandCommunicationResearchisa
newforum for the publicationof books oforiginal researchin PRand related
typesofcommunication.Itsremitistopublishcriticalandchallengingresponses
to continuities and fractures in contemporary PR thinking and practice, and
itsessentialyetcontestedroleinmarket-orientated,capitalist,liberaldemocracies
aroundtheworld.Theseriesreflectsthemultipleandinter-disciplinaryformsPR
takes in a post-Grunigian world; the expanding roles which it performs, and
theincreasingnumberofcountriesinwhichitispractised.
The series will examine current trends and explore new thinking on the key
questionswhich impact upon PRand communications, including:
(cid:1) Is the evolution of persuasive communications in Central and Eastern
Europe, China, Latin America, Japan, the Middle East and South East
Asia developing new forms or following Western models?
(cid:1) What has been the impact of postmodern sociologies, cultural studies and
methodologies which are often critical of the traditional, conservative role of
PRincapitalistpoliticaleconomies,andinpatriarchy,genderandethnicroles?
(cid:1) What is the impact of digital social media on politics, individual privacy
and PR practice? Is new technology changing the nature of content com-
municated, or simply reaching bigger audiences faster? Is digital PR a
cause or a consequence of political and cultural change?
Books in this series will be of interest to academics and researchers involved
in these expanding fields of study, as well as students undertaking advanced
studies in this area.
Public Relations and Nation Building
Influencing Israel
Margalit Toledano and David McKie
Gender and Public Relations
Critical perspectives on voice, image and identity
Edited by Christine Daymon and Kristin Demetrious
Pathways to Public Relations
Histories of practice and profession
Edited by Burton Saint John III,
Margot Opdycke Lamme and Jacquie L’Etang
Positioning Theory and Strategic Communications
A new approach to public relations research and practice
Melanie James
Public Relations and the History of Ideas
Simon Moore
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Public Relations and the History
of Ideas
Simon Moore
Firstpublished2014
byRoutledge
2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,OxonOX144RN
andbyRoutledge
711ThirdAvenue,NewYork,NY10017
RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness
©2014SimonMoore
TherightofSimonMooretobeidentifiedasauthorofthisworkhasbeen
assertedbyhiminaccordancewithsections77and78oftheCopyright,
DesignsandPatentsAct1988.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedor
utilisedinanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,now
knownorhereafterinvented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orin
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Trademarknotice:Productorcorporatenamesmaybetrademarksor
registeredtrademarks,andareusedonlyforidentificationandexplanation
withoutintenttoinfringe.
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Moore,Simon,1961-
Publicrelationsandthehistoryofideas/SimonMoore.
pagescm
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
1.Publicrelations–History.2.Rhetoric.I.Title.
HM1221.M662014
659.2–dc23
2013047287
ISBN:978-0-415-63454-0(hbk)
ISBN:978-0-203-09439-6(ebk)
TypesetinTimesNewRoman
byTaylor&FrancisBooks
For Isobel: keen reader and sharp questioner
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Contents
Acknowledgments x
1 PRand the history of ideas 1
2 Virtuous PR: Confucius (c. 551–479 BC), Analects (c. first
quarterof fifth century, BC) 11
3 Noble falsehoods and PR: Plato (c. 428–347 BC), The Republic
(first half of fourth century BC) 23
4 The problem of perfection: Abu Nasr al-Farabi (c. 875–c. 950/1AD),
On the Perfect State (c. 950) 34
5 PRand the subjugation of reason: Martin Luther (1483–1546),
The Ninety-five Theses (1517) 45
6 Willpower and the expansion of PR: Carl von Clausewitz
(1780–1831), On War (1832–35) 57
7 PR, scientific inquiry and utopian mysticism: Karl Marx
(1818–83) and Frederick Engels (1820–95), The Communist
Manifesto (1848) 68
8 Proofing against puffing: John Stuart Mill (1806–73),
On Liberty (1859) 81
9 Modern campaign management? Mohandas (Mahatma) Ghandi
(1869–1948), Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with
Truth (1925–29) 95
10 Accepting and fearing PR: Friedrich von Hayek (1899–1992),
The Road to Serfdom (1944) 106