Evolving Perspectives on the Right to Communicate

Abstract

does not stretch between two terminal points, the sender and the receiver; it is a relation between virtual equals.3. In the public circuit, the given information is transmitted by a unitary message (its variations being, in general, reduced to the number of subsystems: radio and television stations, newspapers, etc. ). In the private circuit, however, the given information is transmitted by a multiplicity of messages whose variations are aimed at equalizing the number of people circulating it.4. The private circuit has a larger group of subjects than does the public one, because the first involves personal and group events, and events of social importance, too, whereas the latter conveys only events of social interest. Even when transmitting personal and group events, the public circuit covers events of social significance, by modifying their character in this sense.5. On the other hand, all communication takes more or less explicitly an axiological position to the event that forms its object. A new distinction between the two circuits presents itself: in the private one, the axiological position aims at a maximum disparity, whereas in the public one, following from outer command and a number of general, relatively stable criteria, there is less tendency to disparity.The constant structure of social communication is thus represented by its dissociation into two distinct circuits: the public and the private. The first has a systemic character, made up of steady elements and with relatively coherent functions. The second is based on the interchangeability of main elements, its rules of discharge are less clear, so its systemic character is doubtful. It tends rather to dissolve into the supersocial, global system, including virtually all its members. The importance of this structural organization comes from the fact that it circumscribes the right to communicate. Usually the members of the society have whole access (both as senders and as receivers) to the private circuit, but only partial access to the public one.Politology deals with the political system as though it is a network of informational circuits. This seems to nie a legitimate approach: as long as power is the main factor of social cohesion, communication is the main instrument of power. The prevailing bulk of public communication therefore has a coercive character. By its various formulas, this indicates the degree of the continual disjunction between the social organization and the individuals it integrates. Such historically elaborated forms of integration are war, repression, threat, constraint, manipulation, persuasion, education, and option. Some of these coexist in time or space. The preponderance of some of them characterizes the most distinct epochs, but generally their mixture varies from one epoch or country to another.Our epoch, far from evincing an exquisite delicacy in reconciling individual with society, seems to me distinguished especially by a new qualitative appeal to manipulation. It was not the twentieth century that invented manipul...