The increasing occupation of journals with the subject of political persuasion is briefly surveyed. A set of principles which might be utilized to reconceive an inventional theory are proposed, and means through which these principles may be applied in studies of political persuasion are suggested. The decision to shift from a speaker/message situation ultimately depends on the particular communications theory adhered to. If one accepts the proposition that audiences are flagrantly active determinants of meaning, it may well be time to shift from the single-speaker to the message/system approach. (EE)