The New American Iron Curtain

[starroute]

I was just looking up something in an old book we have called "Ideas," which was originally published in the middle 50's, and though I didn't find what I was looking for, I did happen across an extremely interesting discussion of the term "Iron Curtain." It seems it didn't originally mean exactly what it was later used to mean:

The significance of the term lies not in the difference of social order distinguishing Communist-governed countries from others, but in the extreme secretiveness characteristic of Communist regimes. This, in turn, is primarily due to the enormous importance attributed to propaganda in Communist politics. The Bolsheviks came to power in Russia at a time when modern methods of mass propaganda were being developed in the wake of large-scale commercial advertising, and they believed that by use of the new techniques the masses of the Russian people could be led wherever the party-state wanted them to go.

For this purpose it was necessary not only that they should be convinced of the truth of the principles on which the regime was based, but also that they should accept whatever version of particular facts and current news the leaders thought it good for them to believe; it followed that nobody must be permitted to find out or report any information not in accord with the official handout. As far as internal publicity was concerned, this end could be attained by party control of press, radio, films and public meetings and by making it dangerous to contradict the government propaganda even in private conversation. But the propaganda was directed to other countries as well, and it was desired particularly to project for Western nations a picture of Russia under the new regime which would seem to be highly attractive in liberal or democratic socialist terms.

This aim clashed with the claims of international freedom of the press whereby foreign correspondents of newspapers were entitled to travel about freely and report without censorship from the countries to which they were appointed. To prevent reporting of facts which they did not wish to be known, the Communist authorities in Russia tended more and more to obstruct the gatherine of information by foreign journalists ...

Apart from the purpose of sustaining the officially projected picture of society under the new regime, and preventing leakage of any information contrary to it, the Communist states have also habitually taken measures much more rigorous than those normally employed by governments to conceal facts which might be useful to an enemy power in time of war. The concept of espionage was extended to cover not only armaments, fortifications, and military plans, but also the location and capacity of industries, the building of roads, railways and airfields and even detailed geographical features, all of which must be hidden from potential foes in case a tactical local advantage should be lost.

[illflem]

1. My understanding

is that Iron Curtain was originally used to describe the blockage of ideas and information flow from east to west and vice-versa.
It's not out of line at all to say the bush admin operates behind an iron curtain.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Damn. We're there.

As far as internal publicity was concerned, this end could be attained by party control of press, radio, films and public meetings and by making it dangerous to contradict the government propaganda even in private conversation.

Some of the things we say in our home would NEVER be spoken in public. I even have thoughts of my home being bugged and question whether I should have just said what I said in my own house! :scared: I am always telling my 11 year old son that what we say against our government must never be repeated outside this environment (SOME of it which cannot be said here either :(). :scared:

And we all know the press, radio and TV are already state controlled for the most part. These are truly frightening times. I thought I would never, in MY lifetime OR my son's lifetime, see this happen in our country.