ABSTRACT
Political institutions, from the most primitive to the most complex, cannot exist without communication, which is essential to the symbolic representation of authority and to competition for, and exercise of, power. The conduct of modern, democratic politics also depends on participation by citizens, for which extensive means of public communication are indispensable. Although all these fundamental matters cannot be fully dealt with here, we should be aware of the broad extent of the territory indicated by the term ‘political communication’. There is also a historical dimension to the topic and particular importance attaches to the rise of the newspaper press.
