Fear Management by Kaminski, Bruno; Wolff-Poweska, Anna;

Short description:

This book explores the fear management in Stalinist Poland. The main concept is interpreted as a top-down manipulation with media information referring to propaganda figures of 'German threat', 'American capitalist' or 'war provoker'. Using the methodology of history of emotions, the author examines social reception of the fear management policy.

Long description:

The so-called 'people's power' - the communists - tended to make Poles afraid. At first - afraid of the Anglo-Saxon imperialists, then of the German revisionists, Zionist 5th column and 'Kuron and Michnik walking on the CIA's leash'. The creation of the atmosphere of fear featuring Germans and their alleged 'return' lasted until 1970. In his Fear Management Bruno Kaminski reaches to the origins of this story. Based on a huge selection of sources this analytical study exhibits how in the first 15 postwar years Poles were threatened with the Western world. In the beginning, the Germans were chosen to play the role of the main enemy, dethroned later by the Americans. At the same time, the author proves that fear next to nationalism and ethnic hostility developed into one of the pillars legitimizing the communist system.

Marcin Zaremba, Polish Academy of Science, University of Warsaw

Table of Contents:

Fear management - Stalinist Poland - Communist propaganda - Top-down manipulation - Media information - Propaganda figures of 'German threat', 'American capitalist' or 'war provoker' - History of emotions - Social reception of the fear management policy