Transcriber’s Note
Cover created by Transcriber from the original book’sTitle page, and placed in the Public Domain.
Crystallizing
Public Opinion
EDWARD L. BERNAYS
LIVERIGHT PUBLISHING CORPORATION
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
Copyright, 1923, by
Boni and Liveright, Inc.
Liveright Publishing Corporation
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To My Wife
DORIS E. FLEISCHMAN
iii
PREFACE TO NEW EDITION
In the ten years that have elapsed since thisbook was written, events of profound importancehave taken place. During this period,many of the principles set forth in the bookhave been put to the test and have been proventrue.
The book, for instance, emphasized ten yearsago that industrial organizations dealing withthe public must take public opinion into considerationin the conduct of their affairs. Wehave seen cases in the past decade where thepublic has actually stepped in and publiclysupervised industries which refused to recognizethis truth.
The field of public relations counsel has developedtremendously in this period. But thebroad basic principles, as originally set forth,are as valid today as they were then, when theprofession was a comparatively new one. Itseems appropriate that this new edition, forwhich the publishers have asked me to write anew foreword, should appear at a time whenthe new partnership of government, labor andindustry has brought public relations and itsivproblems to the fore. The old group relationshipsthat make up our society have undergoneand are undergoing marked changes. Thepeaceful harmonizing of all the new conflictingpoints of view will be dependent, to a great extent,upon an understanding and applicationby leaders of public relations and its technique.
In the future, each industry will have to actwith increasing understanding in its relationshipto government, to other industries, tolabor, to stockholders and to the public. Eachindustry must be cognizant of new conditionsand modify its conduct to conform to them ifit is to maintain the good-will of those uponwhom it depends for its very life.
This principle applies not only to industry;it applies to every kind of organization and institutionthat uses special pleading, whetherit be for profit or for any other cause.
The new social and economic structure inwhich we live today demands this new approachto the public. Public relations hascome to play an important part in our life.
It is hoped that this book may lead to agreater recognition and application of soundpublic relations principles.
E. L. B.
January, 1934
v
FOREWORD
In writing this book I have tried to set downthe broad principles that govern the new professionof public relations counsel. These principlesI have on the one hand substantiated by the findingsof psychol