What is the right single word for an intellectual (often a journalist) who is not a member of a political party, but justifies the party's causes to the general public and secretly takes benefit from them in return?
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1Related: There's the word lobbyist, referring to those who "attempt to influence legislators on behalf of a particular interest." However, a lobbyist isn't generally a journalist, and not all of them take secret benefits, either. – J.R. Mar 3 '13 at 0:04
A shill is a tout or promoter, with the connotation of figure who endorses a product or service— or candidate or party— on a supposedly independent basis, when in fact he or she is in the service of the person or organization benefiting from the endorsement.
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+1. I think this is the only answer so far which captures the dishonest aspect requested by the OP. "secretly takes benefit". – Avner Shahar-Kashtan Mar 3 '13 at 6:52
A related phrase is fellow traveller,“One who sympathizes with the aims or beliefs of an organization, without belonging to it; most often applied to a Communist sympathizer”. Technically, the phrase applies fairly well in the current context, except that people are unlikely to automatically suppose a fellow traveller is an intellectual or a journalist or secretly receives benefits.
Depending on context, also consider nouns collaborator and quisling, and phrase tame journalist.
answered Mar 2 '13 at 23:13
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partisan (noun) an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance. (Dictionary.com)
answered Mar 3 '13 at 0:07
Two words not previously suggested are hack and hireling. According to R. L. Chapman and B.A. Kipfer, Dictionary of American Slang, Third Edition (1995):
hack 8 n (also ) by 1810 A professional, usu freelance, writer who works to order[.] This sense belongs to hack [definition 1, meaning "A taxicab"], reflecting the notion that such a writer was for hire like a horse, ...
Merriam-Webster's Eleventh Collegiate Dictionary (2003) offers this definition:
hack n. [short for *hack*ney] 3 a : a person who works solely for mercenary reasons : hireling
As for hireling, the Eleventh Collegiate says this:
hireling n : a person who serves for hire esp. for purely mercenary motives
Other options that might suit the situation are apologist, mouthpiece, mercenary, and hired gun.
answered Mar 3 '13 at 21:29
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I like the word apologist. But the word shill serves my present purpose best. – f.nasim Mar 4 '13 at 3:54
