ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses on the history of public relations in the United Kingdom. History provides empirical evidence of the role of public relations in a variety of political, social and economic contexts and it is possible to identify some precise contributions to democratic as well as anti-democratic practice. Such an analysis provides a fuller understanding of the role of public relations and its interpolation with the deep structures of our society. It also permits some analysis of the sources of mythology about public relations: both its demonology and its evangelism.
