Communist Kitsch

Che Guevara tee shirts. Mao Zedong shoulder bags. Cultural Revolution-themed nostalgia restaurants. Rage Against the Machine’s multi-million selling albums. What are we to make of the bizarre collision of resolutely anti-capitalist political ideologies and equally resolute capitalist marketing? Are they diametrically opposed, or are there roots of one in the other? In this class we will examine some of the historical background of socialism and communism, and follow their evolution and transformation in China, Russia, and the United States. We will focus in particular on their attempts to produce a mass culture, and inquire into the differences and similarities between the idea of mass culture and the modern consumer society.

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Group-Satisfying: Arts and Letters
• Multicultural Courses: International Cultures (IC)