It's the biggest concern to any politician who wishes to see their ideas come to fruition; how do I get my message across to the most people possible. It's all very well having the best idea but unless you can get it into the minds of the voting public then it's no good to anyone. Of course one of the biggest mass media tools is television, but even this has restraints and drawbacks. You rely on people tuning in to listen to what you have to say. Unless you are already well know the chances of that are slim. Leaflet distribution offers an effective alternative. Television advertising costs big money these days. The need to look as good in high definition on some of the super sized screens that are on the market right now has meant that a badly produced commercial stands out like a sore thumb. As a result if a politician is going to undertake a TV commercial they'll need to hire the best people possible so that they portray the right image; clothes, location, make-up, sound...the list of things to consider goes on and the cost mounts up. One of the other majors concerns of any politician is always money. Getting the most for your money, not wasting a penny and justifying any expenses are all at the front of a politician's mind when making any sort of decision. Leaflet distribution, then, has added attraction as a marketing or promotional tool. It is relatively inexpensive, can reach large numbers of people quickly and can be adapted to specific needs or requirements. Throughout history leaflet distribution has been used in politics to influence decisions and get a particular point of view across. It has helped groups like the Civil Rights Movement and the Suffragettes achieve their aims and it has been used in every democratic nation on the planet to tell people why they should vote for a particular person or idea. It's probably the most cost effective and easiest way of reaching lots of people all at once. In countries that are governed by oppressive or dictatorial regimes political leaflet distribution is at its most effective. The methods some governments go to in suppressing large groups of people are sometimes shocking and they are always carried out with a view to suppressing free thought and stopping discussion of new ideas. In that situation people turn to surreptitious means to get their message across. Because of the immediate nature of leaflets and their ability to convey a message quickly they are a popular tool among groups of radicals and campaigners, especially those who live under potentially dangerous political systems. In Central and Eastern Europe the leaflet was an important propaganda tool in bringing about democratic change. Leaflets containing anti communist literature and images were distributed as a way of destabilising governments and making people aware that change was being planned. The role that leaflet distribution played in bringing down the Soviet Union has added irony in that it was the Russian Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century that made the most of leafleting as a political tool. Before the October Revolution of 1917 its impact had been negligible. After the revolution it was looked at as a serious method of communicating a message and bringing about change. In recent times it has been used to great effect in Korea, Bahrain and Nigeria.
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