Psychological intimidation

The use of irrational fear or uncertainty to exploit others may be on an individual, group, national or international level. Psychological intimidation may be accomplished by means of propaganda and other forms of indoctrination: advertising by bureaucracy and other methods of alienation; moralism and authoritarianism; the inducement of an inferiority complex by means of elitism and class distinction, including technocracy and meritocracy and the communication of information in a way that is hard to understand or misleading; the use of terror as a subversive tactic; secret police, show trials, etc; the use of threat and the creation of confusion. Psychological intimidation may be combined with physical intimidation, in conjunction with large standing army, military parades, heavy studded leather clothing and boots on teenage youths, carrying of knives, guns, keeping of fierce guard dogs, and so on.