A government or state, like a corporation, will always act in its own best interest.

I can’t think of any human structure, or any person, who doesn’t tend to act in their own perceived best interest. The issue is when self interest contradicts mutual interest.

Self-interest is an important concept in understanding why capitalist corporations are consistently antisocial and why most states act against their citizens, but self-interest isn’t a reason in itself.

It was just called thoughts before governments weaponized it.

Government propaganda definitely predates the modern English language. e.g. Roman Empire