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You call it "Fear campaigns", others would call it "participating in the democratic process".

• k-mcgrady 11y ago
  Not sure about the specific situation to parent is referring to but there is a difference. Take the UK referendum to leave the EU. There are valid points on both sides but when MP's start saying that leaving/staying makes it more likely we'll be attacked by terrorists I would consider that a fear campaign. It's a completely hypothetical point and only spoken to scare people into agreeing with you.
  • nickff 11y ago
    Both sides of almost every political debate use fear to try to get their way. Anti-encryption folks talk about the parade of horribles that private communications could enable, anti-gun people talk about school shootings, pro-army/navy/air force groups talk up terrorists and foreign enemies, pro-social program partisans pretend that the rich make money by abusing the poor. There is unfortunately nothing new, unique, or particular about a group using fear to persuade or dissuade people from supporting a measure.
    • malka 11y ago
      Fear as always been a great motivational tool. I'm pretty sure in Rome, they told thing like "if xxx happens, barbarians will be at the door of Rome"
      • nickff 11y ago
        Cicero famously argued that if Rome 'gave away' Campagnia, they would lose their 'granary for times of war'.
• kethinov 11y ago
  It's both. Fear is a legitimate tool of the democratic process.