Caritas și propaganda: manipularea opiniei publice în România postcomunistă
Caritas and Propaganda: Manipulating Public Opinion in Post-Communist Romania

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to analyze the impact of propaganda and the phenomenon of fake news on public opinion in the context of the Caritas Ponzi scheme, a fraudulent financial game that took place in Romania between 1992 and 1994, immediately after the fall of the communist regime. According to Beciu (2011), the media plays a crucial role during periods of economic and social transition, having the power to shape public perceptions and facilitate the manipulation of collective opinion, especially in times of social and economic instability.The present study is based on a detailed analysis of relevant media sources such as România Liberă, Evenimentul Zilei, and, most importantly, Mesagerul Transilvan, which functioned as the main propaganda tool for the Caritas scheme. Through a careful examination of these publications, the article highlights how the media was used to construct a positive image of the Caritas system, thereby manipulating public perception and fostering a climate of trustin what was essentially a financial fraud.In this context, the analysis explores the propaganda and disinformation techniques that were applied, as well as the ways in which they influenced the public’s trust in Caritas, allowing the scheme to reach massive proportions and affect a significant number of people.

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