Socialists Climbing a Ladder, Anarchists' Demands

http://www.alplm-cdi.com/chroniclingillinois/files/uploads/403001-01.jpg

Title

Socialists Climbing a Ladder, Anarchists' Demands

Subject

McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949
Political cartoons
Protest movements
Socialism
Socialist Party (U.S.)
Anarchism
Inheritance and transfer tax

Description

The top three panels show workers lining up to fill large bags of money in front of houses and the Socalists' Headquarters. In each panel the number of bags, size of the line, and size of the Socialists' Headquarters grows while the size and number of the houses shrink. In the final panel the Socialists' Headquarters is now the Anarchists' Headquarters and the line of people is now a mob of gun- and sword-wielding fighters attempting to recapture their money. One fighter holds a sign reading "We demand a 100% inheritance tax on all fortunes over $1,000,000 bequeathed to a single person."

Socialism leads to anarchy, purports political cartoonist John T. McCutcheon. The late 1800s and early 1900s saw the proliferation of the Socialist Party of America, as the industrial revolution and big business transformed America into an economic power. Workers, farmers, and immigrants, however, put in long hours for basement pay, spawning the creation of labor unions. The Socialist Party of America voiced their concerns and made a lasting impression on the American political landscape, running candidates for president and boasting six percent of the vote in 1912. Eventually, both elements of the progressive and socialist movements were absorbed into the Democratic party, particularly under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Creator

McCutcheon, John T.

Publisher

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Date

n.d.

Format

jpg

Language

eng

Identifier

403001
John T. McCutcheon Collection

Original Format

political cartoon
b&w
1

Physical Dimensions

49 x 37 cm