From the Century of Propaganda to the Century of the Algorithm: Transformations of Communicational Power

Abstract

This article analyzes the transformations of communicational power from the propaganda devices of the 20th century to the consolidation of algorithmic governmentality in the 21st century. Drawing on a genealogical approach, it identifies four historical configurations of media power: propaganda and disciplinary rationality, spectacle and media biopolitics, neoliberal governmentality, and algorithmic governance. It argues that these configurations do not follow a linear succession but rather coexist and reconfigure themselves within specific historical contexts. The article contends that the transition toward surveillance capitalism has shifted ideological persuasion toward data-driven forms of behavioral prediction and modulation, transforming the citizen into a performative user whose subjectivity is shaped by digital platforms. The article concludes that contemporary communication is configured as a strategic space where the spectacularization of the social converges with the algorithmic management of life, posing critical challenges for democratic deliberation and the autonomy of subjects in the digital environment.