Changes

=== Manipulation of popular emotion ===

=== Manipulation of popular emotion ===

The primary purpose of Mrs. Iselin's plan is to manipulate the emotions of the people into accepting dictatorship in the belief that the country is under a dire threat. Mrs. Iselin avows as much to her son when she gives him his final assignment, not realizing that Major Marco has already "unconditioned" him. In fact, she predicts that the assassination of the named Presidential candidate will cause the American electorate {{cquote|to sweep us into the White House with powers that will make martial law look like anarchy.}}

The primary purpose of Mrs. Iselin's plan is to manipulate the emotions of the people into accepting dictatorship in the belief that the country is under a dire threat. Mrs. Iselin avows as much to her son when she gives him his final assignment, not realizing that Major Marco has already "unconditioned" him. In fact, she predicts that the assassination of the named Presidential candidate will cause the American electorate {{cquote|to sweep us into the [[White House]] with powers that will make [[martial law]] look like [[anarchy]].}}

The facts of the matter are far more complex. In the film, the Communist threat ''does'' exist. But the person behind the campaign to popularize that threat ''is herself an agent of that threat.'' Or so she pretends, at least in her dealings with Soviet and Chinese agents that actually induce them to recruit and train an assassin and place that assassin at her disposal. What she actually intends is to seize power in America and then launch a war of revenge against her very helpers. That Mrs. Iselin would conceive that such a plan could actually work, only shows the profound megalomania that afflicts this character.

The facts of the matter are far more complex. In the film, the Communist threat ''does'' exist. But the person behind the campaign to popularize that threat ''is herself an agent of that threat.'' Or so she pretends, at least in her dealings with Soviet and Chinese agents that actually induce them to recruit and train an assassin and place that assassin at her disposal. What she actually intends is to seize power in America and then launch a war of revenge against her very helpers. That Mrs. Iselin would conceive that such a plan could actually work, only shows the profound megalomania that afflicts this character.