Verbal Warfare: Assessing How Contemporary Political Rhetoric Shapes Societal Dynamics

Abstract

The article examines the role of speech and communication in modern political conflicts and their impact on society, as well three main aspects of the impact of political communication on society: political speech, social mobilisation, and affective polarisation. The first substantive block explores the influence of political speech and media on the perception of political conflicts. The findings indicate a trend towards simplifying political discourse, focusing on emotional narratives, and enhancing strategic communication to mobilise voters. The analysis of the Coleman-Liau Index indicates a decrease in the complexity of political speeches since the 1970s, which has the effect of facilitating the accessibility of political messages but also leads to a reduction in the quality of political discourse. The second block of the study investigates the impact of political communication on social mobilisation and affective polarisation. Social networks have become a vital tool for mobilising citizens and increasing political activity levels, but they also contribute to affective polarisation by forming filter bubbles and echo chambers. The third block is dedicated to the economic impact of political conflicts. It was found that political calls for boycotting goods can significantly reduce sales volumes of brands, and conflicts in the tourism industry lead to the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. The research's novelty lies in its comprehensive approach to studying the impact of political speech and communication on society. The study's main limitations are its focus on specific regions and the limited period for analysing political speeches.