Communist chic
Communist chic are elements of popular culture such as fashion and commodities based on communist symbols and other things associated with Communism.[1][2] Typical examples are T-shirts and other memorabilia with Alberto Korda's iconic photo of Che Guevara.[3]
Journalists Christine Esche and Rosa Mossiah argue that in former communist countries, Communist Chic originates from disappointment in capitalist society.[4]
Australian journalist Matthew Clayfield remarks that the "communist iconography" has declined from the status of communist propaganda to mere commodities within the capitalist system and that its popularity is telling of the quality of history education.[3]
Columnist Jeff Jacoby compares the outrage caused by Prince Harry wearing a swastika with indifference to public figures wearing communist symbols. He offers several explanations, of which he thinks the most important factor is different visibility of the crimes of the two systems. Nazi crimes were widely documented and popularized, while the exposure of Marxist–Leninist atrocities to public is much lower.[1]
The trend gained some momentum with the 150th anniversary of The Communist Manifesto in 1998.[2] A 'Modern Edition' was released in New York City that year, and style expert Simon Doonan viewed the book as a desirable fashion accessory regardless of its contents. He argues "People are forgetting the Gulag and Stalin and the negative imagery ... it could be time for it to come back as pure style."[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b Jacoby, Jeff (April 30, 2006). "Communist chic". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ a b Wilson, John (February 15, 1999). "Communist Chic: Hoisting a few to the ghost of Stalin". The Weekly Standard. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ a b Clayfield, Matthew (April 29, 2016). "Some backgrounding for anyone who's ever worn a Ernesto "Che" Guevara t-shirt because it's "ironic"". SBS News. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ Esche, Christine; Mossiah, Rosa Katharina; Topalska, Sandra (September 2010). "Lost and Found: Communism Nostalgia and Communist Chic". Humanity in Action. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ Heffernan, Virginia (February 23, 1998). "Commie Chic". New York. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
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