Whitewash (censorship)

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This article is for the meaning of censorship, for other usage, see Whitewash (disambiguation)

Whitewash is a form of censorship via omission in which errors or misdemeanors are deliberately concealed or downplayed. In politics, whitewash is sometimes used to describe a cover-up or a deliberate downplaying of a problem.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Modern Usage 3 Fictional Usage 4 References

[edit] Etymology

Its first reference dates back to 1762 in a Boston Evening Post article.^{[citation needed]} In 1800, the word was first used in a political context, when a Philadelphia Aurora editorial said that "if you do not whitewash President Adams speedily, the Democrats, like swarms of flies, will bespatter him all over, and make you both as speckled as a dirty wall, and as black as the devil."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Modern Usage

Many ex-socialist/communist states have used the method of whitewash in order to glorify the results.

During the Soviet-era, Stalin adjusted the photographs with Lenin, in order to position himself closer as to give an impression of the close relationship between the two.

North Korean radio broadcasts claim to have an abundance in food supplies, yet the government receives food aid from foreign states. ^[1]

Japan is accused of whitewashing it's history by neighbouring nations, by not including subjects such as the Nanking Massacre. ^[2]

[edit] Fictional Usage

Novels by George Orwell tends to focus on the communist political process, thereby focusing on the subject of whitewash as well.

• In "Animal Farm", Napoleon tries to whitewash history by deleting a few characters from the minds of the other animals.

[edit] References

1. ^ Dafna Linzer. U.S. Offers Food Aid to N. Korea. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.
2. ^ China Raps Japanese Politician for Whitewashing History. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.