I’ll do so today. Sorry for the delay - I was out of the country for my wedding most of September but now home and have lots of time for a new project.
I think there is a reason to call upward curves visual propaganda. Even the word "growth" (in economic sense) is a linguistic construction of capitalism (White 2003), which was later adapted by communism as well. Upward curves and increasing graphs not only in their visual forms but in their metaphoric sense weren't fun in Soviet-communist propaganda, they were more of a threat, rebuke, expectation, spectacle, and even a symbol to be worshipped in the most stupid form.
"And all these data can be seen on beautifully increasing graphs, by anyone at the entrance to Kistext (a factory - A. B.), in the wonderful new wooden building painted in national colours, which displays the news and statistics of the labour competition and is located in an old, small cupboard which is no longer adequate for the purpose." - "The happy wandering flag is flying on spinning and weaving machines in Kistext factory." In Szabad Nép, 1948/120: 9
"At the turn of the stairs, the Credit Bank's workmen's labour-competition table is displayed. From the ground floor we can see the giant upward curve of productivity. And turning down the stairs, we can turn back and admire it a little more" - In Népszava 1948/159: 2
There are hundreds of upward curves and growing graphs from the post-war communist Hungary between 1948 and 1956, the contemporary daily press wrote these words dozens of time every day, and the entire country was mesmerised with them.
If you would like a hand in collecting charts from the archives let me know. I love doing that!
send me an email
RJ, I tried to contact you via the form on your website but received an error. I reached out via LinkedIn. Looking forward to connecting.
Hi RJ,
I’ll do so today. Sorry for the delay - I was out of the country for my wedding most of September but now home and have lots of time for a new project.
I think there is a reason to call upward curves visual propaganda. Even the word "growth" (in economic sense) is a linguistic construction of capitalism (White 2003), which was later adapted by communism as well. Upward curves and increasing graphs not only in their visual forms but in their metaphoric sense weren't fun in Soviet-communist propaganda, they were more of a threat, rebuke, expectation, spectacle, and even a symbol to be worshipped in the most stupid form.
"And all these data can be seen on beautifully increasing graphs, by anyone at the entrance to Kistext (a factory - A. B.), in the wonderful new wooden building painted in national colours, which displays the news and statistics of the labour competition and is located in an old, small cupboard which is no longer adequate for the purpose." - "The happy wandering flag is flying on spinning and weaving machines in Kistext factory." In Szabad Nép, 1948/120: 9
"At the turn of the stairs, the Credit Bank's workmen's labour-competition table is displayed. From the ground floor we can see the giant upward curve of productivity. And turning down the stairs, we can turn back and admire it a little more" - In Népszava 1948/159: 2
There are hundreds of upward curves and growing graphs from the post-war communist Hungary between 1948 and 1956, the contemporary daily press wrote these words dozens of time every day, and the entire country was mesmerised with them.