Russia–The center of communism

                                      

This poster shows that Soviet Russia was the center of communism. Russia’s centrality in the communist world also resonates in the accounts of Dada Ameer Haider and Claude McKay, who belong to two different parts of the world and ethnicities. I argue, that this is because Russia had already experienced a successful communist revolution. It was also the first revolution of its kind which inculcated confidence in the communists of the world that they could also bring a change in their societies. In other words, it was the first time the communist ideas of Marx were given a practical reality. This is why revolution made them hopeful for a utopian future in their respective nations and ethnicities. The portraits of Lenin and other Soviets at the back tell us that the Chinese considered the Soviets as their leaders because Mao’s portrait comes after Lenin and Stalin. Revolution also made the Russian communists realize that now was the time to bring about change in other parts of the world. This is why they sought to lead people from other parts of the world in their way towards communism and they were very particular on this. When McKay showed concerns over the possibility of a revolution in the near future, one of them said: “you are a defeatist. The American Revolution cannot be so far away”. Although considering the ongoing conditions of the working class in the United States, McKay was reluctant to tell about the possibility of the American Revolution. But the Russians were adamant about hearing that the American Revolution was around the corner. This approach can be translated as the unconditional firmness of the Russian people because they heard what they wanted to hear, and ignored ground realities: “I must admit that the Russians in those days were eager to be deceived”. I argue that it resulted in the abandonment of the individual desire and thought only about the revolution and gave way for a collective effort towards a single ideology–communism. 

The visual of collectivism is seen in the poster where Mao is the center and the public around the turn towards him. They show no individuality and look at Mao as their representative. He on their behalf turns towards Russia as evident by the portraits behind him. Their slogan is for communism, as visible by the flags, but the absence of individuality shows that it is about the propagation of a singular ideology i.e. communism. The hammer and sickle are the highest symbols on the portrait which shows communism as an idea transcending boundaries. The presence of communist leaders in the portraits also paints a picture of the idea of communism as a legitimizing factor for the working class. Marx and Engels were the thinkers, and Lenin was the man behind implementing the idea in Russia. This links to the poster because of the confidence of the masses in Mao and his legitimacy as the leader premises on the idea of a utopia which communism promises with the working class. They put their trust not entirely on the person in the center but the portraits behind him.