The most celebrated users of the political poster are of course the Soviets.  As a means of communicating complicated political concepts to an agrarian and industrial populace and ensuring that they clearly got the message it was in their interests to comply, it was unbeatable.  It generated a new type of art - socialist realism.

Socialist Realism is a style where the happy farm worker and her husband the wrench-wielding factory worker stare unflinchingly into the bright communist future while vowing to do their utmost to fulfill the latest five year plan for grommit production.  Like any totalitarian philosophy it brooks no alternative perspective.  One may as readily argue against motherhood & apple pie with a bible-toting, Stetson-wearing Texan. 

The picture to the left is from the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic celebrating the fact that the 1960-1965 five year plan actually led to an 84% rise in output in the Slovakian region. Truly an achievement to celebrate with a poster, Brothers and Sisters!

Hilariously the other extreme of political thought adopted a similarly glorifying style called National Socialist Realism, with much of the same techniques and aims.  Over the coming weeks, I'll put up examples of both types, with some background information. To keep the tone light for now, please enjoy these other two examples which are modern spoofs advertising the Museum of Communism in Prague.  The Museum is well worth a visit if you're ever in Prague and is easy to find.  It's beside the Casino, over the McDonalds restaurant.  Ah well, that's the legacy of communism for you!