The Engineering of Consent
This is a REPRINT of an exceedingly difficult book to find.
Please allow two weeks for the book to be delivered.
Note: This book is a reproduction of the historical text for academic, historical, or collector purposes.
1955 edition printed in 2026.
6" x 9" / 246 pages
Book description
In 1955 University of Oklahoma Press published Bernays' book The Engineering of Consent. In fact Bernays contributed only the first chapter (22 pages), "The Theory and Practice of Public Relations: A Resumé". The seven other chapters were by his associates: "Objectives" by Howard Walden Cutler, "Research" by Sherwood Dodge, "Strategy" by Nicholas Samstag, "Themes and Symbols" by Doris Fleischman and H.W. Cutler, "Organization for public relations" by John Price Jones, "Planning" by Benjamin Fine, and "The tactics of public relations" by A. Robert Ginsburgh.
The longest chapter, the one on strategy, begins with sociological and psychological observations on human motivation drawn from Karl Menninger and Vilfredo Pareto. Samstag illustrates varieties of strategy with sample cases before the public. He details aspects of timing, forbearance, approach, surprise, participation, association, disassociation, crossroads, personalization, bland withdrawal, apparent withdrawal, apparent runner-up, omission, reversal, mosaic, and understatement.
