Check out The Century Of The Self – Part 1. It covers Edward Bernays and how he basically founded the modern practice of public relations and laid the foundations of the consumerist economy we know and love today, based on some of the ideas of his uncle, Sigmund Freud. (Was recommended to me by a person connected with a government party.)
The Century of the Self documentary series was one of the greatest TV series of the last 10 years.
I loved it while it was on, and am delighted to see it up now. I believe that The Power of Nightmares from the same creator is also available somewhere online, with his consent.
All of his documentaries are available in full on google video, with the exception of the latest, which will presumably show up in due course.
Only got around to watching ‘Century of the Self’ last week. Superb stuff. Thanks for the heads up Antoin