On Wed, 25 Sep 2002, Nathan Newman wrote:
> If a term alienates people who could be potential allies, don't use it.
> That's basic propaganda 101. Geez, the right knows when to drop the
> word "privatization" when it's not playing well.
That's true. And when the right drops "privatization" because it's not playing well, the left harps on it for the same reason. No? Precisely because it alienates people, and they're against it, and want to rally people against it, and brand their opponents as being for it.
So why shouldn't the same logic apply to imperialism? That if you're against it, and people hate it, you should harp on it, and attach it in people's minds to your opponents?
As for your theoretical considerations, they have something to be said for them. But Propaganda 101 would say theoretical imprecision should be a very secondary consideration when it comes to choosing slogans. And that instead their most important quality should be that they have a huge (in this case, negative) buzz factor.
Michael