The History and Definition of Psychopolitics
(EN: This book is somewhat controversial - not merely because of its topic, but because of its origin. It is presented as a synthesis of various Soviet documents on the practice of brainwashing, but may in fact be a fabrication to provoke outrage and opposition to the communist party and due to its suspicious origin is considered that it may be a hoax or a work of science fiction. I've read it, and preserved notes, as it seems interesting and plausible, in spite of its dubious validity and origin.)
Throughout history, punishment has been applied to a person who has acted against the interests of his society in order to discourage him from repeating his behavior as well as to discourage others from imitating it. This has been true of every tribe, state, and nation throughout the history of mankind.
It is, however, a relatively recent discovery that these techniques could be employed in a proactive manner, to encourage adherence to the ideology of the state even before any transgression has taken place. The author uses the term "psychopolitics" to describe these practices.
A more specific definition: "Psychopolitics is the art and science of asserting and maintaining dominion over the thoughts and loyalties of individuals."
It is in many ways the application of animal training to the human population, and follows in the tradition of Pavlov, who had discovered a method of influencing the behavior of dogs by means of conditioning, even behavior that was assumed to be instinctive and involuntary can be associated to stimuli to provoke a response.
"Basically, man is an animal ... which has been given a civilized veneer." And just as animals must be encouraged to fulfill their role within the pack, so must man be encouraged to fulfill his role within human society. While man has a more complex mind than do animals, it merely means that it requires more sophisticated techniques to train him, and that he is capable of being trained to more complicated tasks.
On the question of ethics, which is more humane? To inflict punishment on a man who has done something he was unaware was wrong at the time, or to condition him in advance to avoid doing those things in the first place? Man is a selfish animal and must be coerced against his will to serve the greater good of the state, and as the greater good is morally superior, then encouraging him to serve it cannot be considered immoral.
Psychopolitics is the use of psychology to condition man to social living, to overcome his self-serving nature and render him fit as a member of society. And it should be the practice of every state to educate and condition citizens to think and act in a manner that is supportive of their society.