Wei wrote about my quotation from the Paris Review interview with Geoffrey
Hill:

>At first glance, it may seem correct to say that the thinking behind
>tyrannical propaganda involves simplification, and that the thinking behind
>democracy is more complex. However, I do not think the thesis >can be borne
>out.   Lenin and Trotsky were essentially tyrants, and >their thinking, as
>reflected in their writings, is most complex.  The >philosopher of Italian
>fascism, Gentile, wrote very complex and elegant >works, which demonstrate
>intelligence.   "Grossly simplified language" >is no more essentially
>related to 'totalitarian' thinking >than "complexity of language" is in any
>necessary
>way linked to "democratic thinking", etc  Those who were treated to George
>Bush Junior's recent speech at the Republican convention will >find
>sufficient evidence there to prove that in a Democracy >the "slogans of
>incitement" are just as palpably connected with >activity in this democracy
>as they would be in any totalitarian state (and those who recall Reagan's
>speeches, will find even better evidence).

I'm not sure that Hill was talking about the "thinking behind" anything. He
was talking about propaganda, which is the means by which authoritarian
leaders and would-be leaders seek to deafen the ears of the populace to the
voices of dissent. (I agree with you that this happens in democracies as
well as under totalitarian regimes. In the UK at the moment there is much
talk of the way in which political debate has been smothered by the use of
the slogan and the sound-bite by populist politicians on both sides of the
left/right divide). The "thinking behind" such discourse may be very
sophisticated, but its sophistication is deliberately hidden from the
audience. This is acknowledged in my quotation by the reference to
"cunning".

Still I like your examples and they certainly help one to think about this
topic. I certainly agree there is no simple correlation.

Richard Edwards
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