Propaganda: can it be a good thing?

Propaganda: can it be a good thing?

If someone or some institution is spreading propaganda, then chances are it's probably helping then. The motivations to create propaganda are usually goals or problems achieved or helped with propaganda's end result. The only time propaganda could be bad for anything is when those goals aren't aligned with the purpose of those institution's or person's that's spreading it. Propaganda could still be bad for anyone who doesn't share those goals; in general it's bad for the people affected by it, but beneficial to the one propagating it.

In America, the people have made it pretty clear in the Declaration of Independence that liberty is our highest cultural value. But what if that value was for a government to be sustainable, or stagnant, or powerful? It would make sense for these types of government to propagate ideas or lies in order to achieve that goal. Am I advocating these immoral dystopian societies? No, but it merely make sense for these types of places to be filled with propaganda.  In our own society, it would be deconstructive for the government to create some type of misinforming propaganda, but how about just an individual politician or group of politicians? Would it be good for them to propagate something for their goals using the government as a means? Even though their goals could be completely separate to the government's, it would still be good for them. However, politicians taking office only for their own benefit is very against (although very prominent) our government's existence; so yes, it would be bad for the government.

Propaganda being good or bad all relies on the goals of those creating it and those affected by it. In some cases, it could help both. But to answer the question of "When is it bad", it's bad for either party when the intent of the propaganda isnt aligned with their own goals.