ABSTRACT
Propaganda in repressive and totalitarian regimes is typically wedded to terror and backed up by force or the threat of force, creating an atmosphere of oppression and a situation in which human rights are violated. Such settings are characterized by managed information and outright censorship, which should not be confused with public relations as practiced in democratic societies. Although public relations managers operating in a free society are advocates for an employer, client, or cause, they have a professional sense of responsibility and accountability to the public. Unlike leaders of repressive regimes, the public relations agent in an open society must strive for credibility by contending with competition from a number of sources of information.
