Agitprop

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈædʒɪtpɹɒp/

Definitions

1. A technique that merges mobilization and persuasive messaging to advocate for particular political beliefs
2. An approach combining incitement and information dissemination aimed at effecting ideological shifts
3. A method that integrates agitation and propaganda to inspire action for a specific political agenda

Etymology: Agitprop was born in the Soviet Union as the shortened name of a government department. In Russian, "agitprop" (агитпроп) abbreviates otdél agitatsii i propagandy, the Department for Agitation and Propaganda, a body that handled the Communist Party's campaigns to shape public opinion and mobilise workers. The Russian term is a blend of "agitation" and "propaganda," and the English word was borrowed directly from it. The Russian name for the department, Agitprop, was what people used as a shorthand for its work, and that shorthand gradually became a general term for art, theatre, or writing designed to push a political message. Its meaning in English follows that same path: it describes a method that mixes stirring up emotion with spreading a message, aimed at getting people to act for a particular cause.

Synonyms: propaganda, political propaganda, information, mobilization, stimulation