POLITICS AS THEATRE. The theatrecratic approach in political consulting
NUMBER of MAGAZINE: 27 (1) 2007ã.
The HEADING: POLITICS
AUTHORS: Marchenko Gennady
1.The theatre-politics connection has been determined by both cultural and genetic factors, and contemporary modernizing influences upon the society. Since the ancient times, theatricality in politics is caused by its repetition of actions within existing common and political culture - rituals, ceremonies and etiquette activities, and politicians' need to play traditionally developed roles dependent on socio-political conditions. 2.Political actions, with their great audience and simultaneous TV broadcast, share traits with some theatrical shows. These theatrical activities are highly effective because of their complex means of information influencing - the sound text, music, light and plastic of movements, and those who participate are being dragged into show by the logic of organized action, not always by their own will, coming under its influence. 3.An excessive 'theatrelizing of political consciousness' seriously affects both a person and the society. The approach based on the theatrecratic paradigm results in dividing the society into an auditorium and a stage, the stage being separated from the auditorium with footlights. Those in the theatre, in their turn, are demarcated into spectators watching a political show - 'the public' - and actors playing this or that roles. 4.The principles of the theatrecratic approach, to a great extent, serve as guidelines for a consulting image-maker. It is necessary to write the script of a political show which is to prescribe actions of the actors, to choose a 'theatrical character' (type of image), to position it among other participants of political action, to train the client in skills of playing a role, of smiling and moving vis-s-vis the electorate. 5.Òhe theatrecratic approach is not an academic gear or a theoretical design abstract from the real, practical politics. It can and must be actively used aimed at political analysis and design of a political process, it is to be used in event-management, and be one of the fundamentals of political consulting. Instances to this effect are numerous.
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