ABSTRACT
'The stable "old order" of national communication systems, constructed after the war, is in jeopardy and forced to adapt to new possibilities and pressures. Communications are used as a tool of the government, mainly in order to gather as much relevant, reliable and frequently exclusive information as possible, in keeping with the old adage that knowledge is power. In certain circumstances, as for instance during the Cold War, international communications can negatively affect political power. Communications are an important prerequisite for social integration and for the ability of humans to survive in a given territory. Technological development has apparently encouraged an increase in capacity for public communication of all kinds, particularly in the electronic media. 'The application of computer technology and its potential to ensure interactivity and inter-connection of communication channels is not only a quantitative but also a major qualitative change'. Persuasive or propaganda communications are used at various levels of decision-making and rule.
