SelfDefinition.Org
The Brainwashing Manual
(1955)
L. Ron Hubbard
Chapter I The History and Definition of Psychopolitics
Although punishment for its own sake may not be entirely without recompense, it is, nevertheless, true that the end and goal of all punishment is the indoctrination of the person being punished with an idea, whether that idea be one of restraint or obedience.
In that any ruler has, from time beyond memory, needed the obedience of his subjects in order to accomplish his ends, he has thus resorted to punishments. This is true of every tribe and state in the history of Man. Today, Russian culture has evoked more certain and definite methods of aligning and securing the loyalties of persons and populaces, and of enforcing obedience upon them. This modern out growth of old practices is called Psychopolitics.
The stupidity and narrowness of nations not blessed with Russian reasoning has caused them to rely upon practices which are today too ancient and outmoded for the rapid and heroic pace of our time. And in view of the tremendous advance of Russian Culture in the field of mental technologies, begun with the glorious work of Pavlov and carried forward so ably by later Russians, it would be strange that an art and science would not evolve totally devoted to the aligning of loyalties and extracting the obedience of individuals and multitudes.
Thus we see that psychopolitical procedures are a natural outgrowth of practices as old as Man, practices which are current in every group of men throughout the world. Thus, in psychopolitical procedures there is no ethical problem, since it is obvious and evident that Man is always coerced against his will to the greater good of the State, whether by economic gains or indoctrination into the wishes and desires of the State.
Basically, Man is an animal. He is an animal which has been given a civilized veneer. Man is a collective animal, grouped together for his own protection before the threat of the environment. Those who so group and control him must the have in their possession specialized techniques to direct the vagaries and energies of the animal Man toward greater efficiency in the accomplishment of the goals of the State.
Psychopolitics, in one form or other, has long been used in Russia, but the subject is all but unknown outside the borders of our nation, save only where we have carefully transplanted our information and where it is used for the greater good of the nation.
The definition of Psychopolitics follows.
Psychopolitics is the art and science of asserting and maintaining dominion over the thoughts and loyalties of individuals, officers, bureaux, and masses, and the effecting of the conquest of enemy nations through "mental healing".
The subject of Psychopolitics breaks down into several categories, each a natural and logical proceeding from the last. Its first subject is the constitution and anatomy of Man himself as a political organism. The next is an examination of Man as a economic organism, as this might be controlled by his desires. The next is classification of State goals for the individual and masses. The next is an examination of loyalties. The next is the general subject of obedience. The next is the anatomy of the stimulus-response mechanisms of Man. The next is the subject of shock and endurance. The next is categories of experience. The next is the catalyzing and aligning of experience. The next is the use of drugs. The next is implantation. The next is the general application of Psychopolitics within Russia. The next is the organization and use of counter-Psychopolitics. The next is the use of Psychopolitics in the conquest of foreign nations. The next is psychopolitical organizations outside Russia, their composition and activity. The next is the creation of slave philosophy in an hostile nation. The next is countering anti-psychopolitical activities abroad, and the final one, the destiny of psychopolitical rule in a scientific age. To this might be added many subcategories, such as the nullification of modern weapons by psychopolitical activity.
The strength and power of Psychopolitics cannot be overestimated, particularly when used in a nation decayed by pseudointellectualism, where exploitation of the masses combines readily with psychopolitical actions, and particularly where the greed of Capitalistic or Monarchial regimes has already brought about an overwhelming incidence of neurosis which can be employed as the groundwork for psychopolitical action and a psychopolitical corps.
It is part of your mission, student, to prevent psychopolitical activity to the detriment of the Russian State, just as it is your mission to carry forward in our nation and outside it, if you are so assigned, the missions and goals of Psychopolitics. No agent of Russia could be even remotely effective without a thorough grounding in Psychopolitics, and so you carry forward with you a Russian trust to use well what you are learning here.