UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARAGraphic design as Political Propaganda (Design as Cultural Phenomenon) Fadzlini Bte Samsudin Khan 2010407306 May 2011 1 2009 (3) Bending Spines: The Propagandas of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic 2 . That¶s the reason why children love to draw because they love to express what they feel through drawings. Every part of things in our life is part of graphic design. Everything surround us in our life nowadays is part of contribution of graphic design revolution. From time to time the process of searching keeps running. When we talk about graphic design. it will deliver certain message and beliefs.Graphic designers is the importance people to send out graphical form of information to the target audiences. No matter how simple it is. There is no design without purpose even it is a blank white. Until 1922. These are common used of graphic design. there will be meaning behind it. Graphic design has create million of job opportunities to people work as Graphic designers. During that time people is thirst for knowledge and information. Johanna and McVarish. politic and social aspects. Design is a medium and a way to express emotion and feelings.Working as designers for few years giving the chance to share some ideas what is graphic design is all about. It¶s influenced human life in context of economy. Design is known as everything and anything. Graphic design used widely in every aspect for many reasons. Pearson Education. Since prehistoric times. sharing ideas which can be delivered through visual form. (1)Drucker. the outstanding book designer. Emily. These graphic elements become of medium communication from generation to the next generation. 'Graphic Design History: A critical Guide'. They keep searching the best way of giving clear information. Every time the designers create the design. the first thing comes in our mind are posters and advertisings. graphic design had been implemented in many ways. William Addison Dwiggins introduced the word of graphic design [1]. Graphic design been used as the medium to deliver message and express certain ideology which lead to motivate and persuade the target group to accept the understandings.mac. Its persuasive techniques are regularly applied by politicians. most designs are created with the end goal of getting people to take specific actions. Propaganda always has been described as negative terms. Even if the designs don¶t directly resemble propaganda. they can be quite successful. From designer¶s perspective of views.com/mickeyhuff/iblog/C153282456/E540705550/index. it¶s very important to understand the principles behind propaganda and the way it¶s designed to create effective designs which may influenced the people. Graphic design can be used to express specific and commercially motivated points of view which overlap with the more political forms of propaganda and persuasion. 6 October 2003. advertisers. After all. As history shows.html 3 . Aaron Delwiche. journalists. and Models. It is very important to know the relationships between graphic design and commercial persuasion to develop both reflective and practical understandings of the ways in which design operates to persuade. http://homepage. This direct meaning may cause of several factors and purposes and one of it become as propaganda factor. Some of the messages are direct meaning but some of the graphic design used indirect way of sending messages.In political context. radio personalities. [2] Dr. and others who are interested in influencing human behavior. Discussions. Propaganda: Definitions. Propaganda is also known as art of persuasion which persuades others that your 'side of the story' is correct. but implementing the techniques and principles behind successful propaganda pieces can greatly improve the effectiveness of the designs. [2] It evokes thoughts of wartime and misinformation campaigns by governments trying to deceive people or bolster support for what might otherwise be unpopular policies. You could only read. when most people think about propaganda.This movement controlled the art to ensure nobody in Germany could read or see anything that was hostile or damaging to the Nazi Party and they represent the ethics they wanted to teach the German people. Since nothing comparable is being disseminated in our society today. there will be a propaganda.2005. Nazi Germany introduced a system of censorship.But propaganda and the techniques it uses are prominent throughout our modern lives.htm 4 . they think of the enormous campaigns that were waged by Hitler and Stalin in the 1930s. see and hear. many believe that propaganda is no longer an issue. see and hear what the Nazis wanted you to read.usf. the Nazi leaders logically assumed that opposition to their rule would be very small and practiced only by those on the very extreme who would be easy to catch. After all. Advertising in all forms almost always uses at least some of the usual techniques used by propagandists. if you believed what you were told. Every political poster. [3]The rise of the Nazi Party. One of the most famous histories is the usage of graphic design in posters was during the Nazi Movement in Germany between 1933 and 1945[3]. Highly eristic and aesthetic pieces romanticized everyday subjects and repeated outmoded stereotyped Nazi principles of the human body and its reasons in the Reich. Virtually anything created to persuade a person to do a certain thing or think a certain way has roots in propaganda.edu/HOLOCAUST/timeline/nazirise. Propaganda might take the form of persuading others that their military might is too great to be challenged. As a result of this policy. http://fcit. In this way. http://1933key." Goebbels [5] Nazis believed that if they controlled what people heard.com/Propaganda-1933/Goebbels-Speech-December-1933 5 .A.edu/academic/cas/gpa/posters2. [4]German propaganda Archive. Mann Brand(1933)[4]. On National-Socialist Germany And Her Contribution Towards Peace.calvin. Graphic design becomes the magnet to attract the reader and at the same time become propaganda tool to make the political party become strong. so vitally. This can be seen through a poster advertising the film S.html [5] Dr. we could see how ideology used the power of graphic design to deliver successfully. Goebbels. that in the end they succumb to it utterly and can never escape from it. thought and said then they would be able to attain total loyalty.This poster was presenting Hitler as superior power over the normal people and Hitler as being had spiritual goodness would take the Germanic race to the perfect future.2001. thought and said then they would be able to attain total loyalty. This is the process of believe what you see. Through this world history of Nazi Movement. Even though the main principle is to capture people¶s heart of supporting the party. http://www. How the politic parties in Malaysia use the graphic design as part of political propaganda is different from the prehistory. but it¶s different with Hitler¶s ideology to believed that if they controlled what people heard.December 28. This history shows the power of graphic design become the medium of political propaganda to Nazi Movement. "The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea so sincerely.Adolph Hitler and his image gave him opportunity to have a status as a god in Germany.1933. The use of propaganda had already been proven successful in election campaigns and Hitler believed that it was just as important for him to look as the main power or big energy. graphic design as part of visual form been known as one of the effective medium to influence certain target audiences to receive the information. Malaysia always believes in the rule of law and state and tries to maintain sensitivity among different races and religions. Instead of using direct information which is verbal communication. Graphic design been adapted as the tool of persuasion and promote Japanese Values. There are so many things happened in our country as part of political propaganda. [6] The Symbolism phenomenon has taken role to influence and the most famous symbol such as the rising sun had been used to represent the imageries of influencing Japanese Culture.In other words. Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA).In Malaysia is more on how to gain trust from the citizen. To do that.html 6 . [6] Wong. Graphic design is become the weapon for certain political parties to attack their opposition parties. Heng. In 1943 shows the armed uprising the power by the Japanese which lead to the next three years in Malaya.nl. graphic design become the service of control and influence. http://infopedia. Propaganda in Graphic design in Malaysia still not open and freedom been expressed like western countries. Life in this period had a defining impact on the handling of graphic arts. where all forms of printed media were turned into Japanese propaganda. the Japanese eliminated all forms of British icons and symbols from all graphic works which resulted in the confiscation of printed material and closing down of English schools.sg/articles/SIP_905_2004-1223. 1999-08-31. Origins and Development of the Malayan Communist Movement. during the formation Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) also show the importance roles of graphic design to influence people in Malaya. Through the ³Biro Timur Jauh´. 25.[8] One of the most famous books during that time is ³Fung TSZ´. This all political propaganda becomes the tool of Japanese to send out their messages clearly to their enemies.the international communist agent.N Harper(1999)The end of Empire and the making of Malaya. Graphic art has always played a role in social movements. trade unions and socialist who were comprised users of Chinese. 1919±1930. Yong (1991).The communist ideology is almost similar like how Hitler tries to design as the weapon to protect Nazi movement. postcards. The production of new stamps led to an underlying visual dialogue between the sender and the receiver. presenting a victorious symbol of their defeat of the British. The Communist ideology began to penetrate into Malaya in the 1920s[7]. Beside the Japanese regime. communist party using the printing material to send out the messages. especially from china and Russia managed to persuade most of the labor organizations. Because lack of electronic media during that time.pp 550-554 7 . They almost acted like a µcalling card¶ for the Japanese to command the world¶s attention. pp 625-648 [8] T. But will a movement today look the same as movements of the past? [7] C. Modern Asian Studies.64. Communist publication such as newsletters such as Rosita and Delta News are agency Communist Books and pamphlets from China and Russia affect most Chinese during that time. newspapers and books. F.Japanese propaganda was carried out in the designing of new stamps. he was arrested for publishing books that considered detrimental to public order and may influence the people to revolt against government policies. However the involvement of Zunar in Politic was not that easy. In other way.In June 2010. He thinks by registering the term µCartoon-o-phobia¶ as a new word that carries the definition of individuals or parties who are afraid of cartoons and use political power to act against cartoonists. For example the graphic elements in comics which are purposely as entertainment product also become the choice of political party as medium of propaganda. Perak Darul Kartun and Isu Dalam Kartun were banned by the Malaysian government. 1Funny Malaysia. three of his political cartoon publications. Graphic design become part of entertainment read material. one of his comic with the title Cartoon-o-phobia reflects the fears of certain parties to cartoons. In September 2010.[9] According to Zunar.The tragedy makes he realized the importance of playing a role in educating the public about the political scenario in Malaysia. 10 more will rise'(25 September 2010). it¶s the result of successful propaganda. What happen to Zunar gives a very big impact to political graphic designers in Malaysia.During these modern days also shows how the graphic design become the most important tool in political. [9] 'Catch one Zunar today. One of the most well known cartoonists who involve with this political graphic design is Zunar.malaysiakini. Once the people believe.com 8 . Graphic design plays very superior roles to influence the people by using attraction values. The involvement of Zunar as political cartoonist took place after the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim as deputy prime minister in 1998.www. To this scenario we can see the barrier of graphic industries in Malaysia is very limited in term of involvement in politics. The designers work is more to full fill what clients which is in industrial basis need rather than to express what they actually feel. Maybe this all the main factor why there are only few numbers of Malaysian artist and designers who are purely involved with political cartoons. .In this session we will see more on comics related to politic scenarios in Malaysia. but in designer¶s perspective view.This session is more on playing a joke which is actually focused and targeted the opposition parties. The government banned of this publishing in a way to teach the citizen to respect those who wins the election and let the power to take the control.Zunar only tries to illustrate his beliefs in political through design but somehow he was not free to do that. Senyum Kambing is a comic session in Utusan Malaysia daily paper which is pro government. However. No matter what.Senyum Kambing is also considered to affect the sensitivity of religious and misunderstanding of political beliefs. the public will see this scenario as negative effect as if the government is trying to restricting freedom of speech which is supposedly been practiced in democracy country. 9 .´Senyum Kambing´ session is also part of political propaganda sending indirect message to the readers. In Malaysia we are restrict to laws and once we break the law we end up our life in prison. Maybe this will lead to a major change in employment opportunities as a political cartoonist but at the same time this will also gives very bad picture to the government. this is a new phase to open up the way of thinking and express the emotions through design. This is part of using the element of graphic design to influence reader to reject the opposition parties. the government returns back the ideology using the Utusan Malaysia as one of the medium.To analyze back there will be pro and cons of what Zunar did.In Utusan Malaysia. Contra back to what Zunar did. performance now. 2009 10 . This show how effective the symbol becomes as political propaganda. Bernama. But all this is to express the freedom of speech and emotions. visual propaganda has lost its purpose.com.my´ [11] Najib Sets the Pace for Transformation In Administration. Maybe some of the readers think that ³Senyum Kambing´ is part of jokes session but some other parties think that this comic should not put in a way insulting the other persons. Beside the use of the comic as part of the medium propaganda. In which case. people first.´one Malaysia. Now everywhere and almost everyone already can recognize the symbol of one Malaysia. by Sophia Ahmad. Comparing last time and nowadays. the ideology itself also part of political propaganda. the symbol. In an era when politics has taken a cultural turn. On 16 September 2010 our prime minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak introduces the concept of 1Malaysia. December 11th.But sometimes everything is depending on the readers to analyze it. A political image today is more likely to chastise the viewer as a naughty consumer rather than make a broad political point.[11] This is also can be considered as successful propaganda which already influence all the Malaysian from all different groups. The concept of one Malaysia is to gather all different political parties to one main principle. [10] The symbol of 1Malaysia shows the unity of all the races and the different religions to stay together as one big group. The government is committed to carrying out a transformation programmed as its main agenda based on approaches and philosophy of 1Malaysia. the question is the political poster still powerful? Or does the political poster still exist? [10] 1Malaysia ideology. the value of the propaganda implemented in graphic design considered not as strong as previous activist. However in Malaysia one of the most medium of political propaganda is through websites. completely different from the political propaganda of the past. for example. promotion or advertising. modern days gave propaganda multiple new media to use and Internet is among them. They try not to use any color which is related or common with any opposition parties. those of advertising. nowadays most of the designs focused on culture approach. This all media been used to send out the messages direct and fast. Is this because in certain country the freedom of expression been controlled or because we are actually lack of political designers? All of this counted on demand and necessities. In conclusion. the word itself is not that widely used. Until today propaganda still remains a powerful technique to influence the social opinion in all the countries around the globe.Most of graphic design nowadays experimented with a new graphic language. marketing. blogs and social networking. Furthermore. modern propaganda has become much more sophisticated than ever before. such as public relation. no matter what and which era we are. Anyway. There is an extremely thin border between propaganda concepts and. (Parti Islam Semalaysia). we have to accept the faith that graphic design will become the demand and necessity as part of political propaganda. In term of graphic element. 11 . being substituted by some modern terms. For example green is known as PAS. colors also had played the main sensitivity especially for government sectors in Malaysia. Instead of using political as the main issue. 12 .