Group 2-09:
Power and Propaganda: Analyzing the Effects of
Propaganda Posters on Ordinary Chinese in the
1960s
Group Members:
Yao Jiaxin (Leader) 3H1
Chen Zirui 3b1
Zhao Xiang Yu 3b1
Agenda
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Thesis statement
Theories of Propaganda
Scope
Literature Review
Research Questions
Analysis Of Posters
Discussion
Limitation
Bibliography
Thesis Statement
Propaganda posters are the main and
most important factor in shaping
identities, cultivating desired values and
defining one’s role and relationship to
the state under Mao’s rule.
Theories of
propaganda
Theories of propaganda
Governments use
two types of
institutions to
establish power
and control
Repressive State
Ideological
Apparatuses
State
(RSAs)
Apparatuses
(ISAs)
Police, army,
Schools,
prison system
cinemas,
et al
newspapers,
political
Louis
Althusser
Yan’an Conference
Chairman
Mao
The people
cannot be
forced to accept
Marxist and
Maoist Ideals
Promote
Maoist
Ideologies
During the
Yan’an
conference
Schools,
cinemas,
newspapers,
political
posters
Ideological
State
Apparatuses
Scope
1958-1976
Propagand
a Posters
Communist
China
Cultural
Revolution
Great Leap
Forward
Lei Feng
Chairman
Mao
Effects of these
propaganda on
the people of
China
Literature Review
• Definition of Art
• “Art is generally defined as intentionally made by
their makers with a significant degree of aesthetic
interest, often surpassing that of most everyday
objects.It may also have a non-aesthetic purpose
behind it, such as ceremonial or religious or
propagandistic purpose” (Adajian, T. 2007).
• “However, art can also be defined not just by its
ability to express form and beauty, but also its
ability to communicate concepts of morality”
(Scott, A. 2002).
Literature Review
• “Propaganda messages during Mao’s era was filled with
militant expressions such as “overthrow”, “thoroughly destroy”
and “strike hard” and are often filled with militant images of
war, horses, muscular workers and peasants in heroic
postures.”(Murong X. ,2013)
• “Many chinese posters feature heroic, cartoon like figures with
political slogans to rally the masses. The images are
triumphant, even if the events they depict were often
disasters.” (Langfitt, F. 2012)
• “ The goal of these poster was to show the Chinese people
what sort of behavior was considered morally correct and how
great the future of Communist China would be if everyone
followed the same path towards utopia by uniting together.”
(Landsberger, S. 2011)
• “Mao believes that the people cannot force people to accept
Marxism, and he can only persuade them” (Zedong, Mao
Literature Review
• Chen Xiaomei, an individual who had survived
Cultural Revolution, has said “Posters remembered,
talked back, and also constructed and
reconstructed who I was and what was socially
expected of me.”
• Li Cunxin also said that he wanted to be a hero like
Lei Feng and his spirit of ‘forgetting himself to help
other’s was his living motto.(Cunxin, Li 2003)
• “The brilliant spirit of Lei Feng and his stories
influenced my perception of this world and my life
choices. Should one’s achievements and fruit of
labour belong to oneself or the people?(Jian Wei,
Wang 2011)
Research Questions
• What are the trends can be drawn from the posters
of Lei Feng and Mao during the Great Leap Forward
and Cultural Revolution?
• How has these posters impacted the lives of the
people living under Mao’s rule?
• Why were posters used as a tool of propaganda by
Mao instead of other mediums?
• What messages are conveyed as a result and how
are people’s perception changed?
• How did the posters help in consolidating power for
Mao and the communist party?
Analysis Of Posters
Collection
Analysis Of Posters
Designer: Central Academy of
Industrial Arts collective work (
中央工艺美术学院供稿)
Date published: Circa.1968
Title: Advance victoriously
while following Chairman
Mao's revolutionary line in
literature and the arts
(沿着毛主席的革命文艺路线胜利
前进)
(Landsberger collection)
At the height of the Mao
worship, Mao appears as
radiant sun, high above the
masses. The dancing figures
are from the revolutionary
model operas developed by
Analysis Of Posters
Designers: Tian Yuwen (田郁文);
Zhu Zhangchao (朱章超)
Date published:1958, October
Title:Blast furnaces rise in level
ground releasing red rays
everywhere
(高炉平地起遍地放红光)
Publisher: Renmin meishu
chubanshe (人民美术出版社)
Small furnaces are built
everywhere to increase steel
production. Useful objects, like
cutlery and tools, are melted
down to steel that is usually of
such low quality that nothing
can be done with it.
Analysis Of Posters
Designer: Jin Meisheng (金梅生)
Publish date:1959, February
Title:The vegetables are green, the
cucumbers plumb, the yield is
abundant
(菜绿瓜肥产量多)
Publisher: Shanghai renmin meishu
chubanshe (上海人民美术出版社)
In the years of crop failures and famine
following the Great Leap Forward, this
poster with its abundant food is
reprinted over and over again. A first
edition of this poster is already
published in 1956. This particular copy is
an August 1963 reprint of the 1959
edition. The total number of copies runs
to over a million.
Analysis Of Posters
Designers: Wu Zhefu (吴哲夫);
Yang Yuhua (杨玉华)
Date published:1965, February
Title:Uncle Lei Feng tells
revolutionary stories
(雷锋叔叔讲革命故事)
Publisher: Shanghai renmin
meishu chubanshe (上海人民美
术出版社)
The children with the red
scarves are Pioneers, members
of the Communist youth
organization.
Discussion
• “Posters were used as a medium of propaganda
alongside with radio, speeches and education.
However, posters were the most impactful method. They
played a significant role in ‘attacking revisionists such as
Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping’”(Ozensoy, D.C. 2015).
• Posters were cheap and easily distributable.
• Other methods were unfeasible
• For example, speeches were unable to be delivered
daily which could help influence the citizens. Education
is a process that will take over 10 years to instill desirable
traits into the youths, although it will pay off in the longrun.
• Over time, exposure to such posters does result in
indoctrination of ideologies resulting in the adoption of
Discussion
• Youths are more susceptible to indoctrination as they are
more impressionable
• It is impossible for the parents to teach values
independently that are against the norms of the society
• Education played a role, by helping youths adopt Maoist
ideals. The education and posters worked together to
bring across the values that Mao wants in his people
• Characters in the posters are the most significant part of
the propaganda posters, they resonated often with the
individuals.
• Personification of the characters results in lasting
memories of the character in certain individual’s minds,
leaving behind deep impressions of the values these
characters portray.
Discussion
• However, the effect of these posters are not ever-lasting
• Exposure to the outside world and sacrificing certain
deep-rooted ideologies for economical gains, such as
transitioning China into a more capitalist society to allow
for greater growth, appears to be able to completely
erode the previously deep-rooted beliefs invoked by the
posters
• Posters are known to change their message from time to
time to reflect the historical situation and serve different
purpose
• Constant introduction of new posters could have been
the key to maintaining or bring around political stability
• Posters were therefore an essential tool in maintaining
social and political stability.
Case Study: Cultural Revolution
• Zhang Hongbin, a Red Army Soldier, denounced his
mother for being a counter-revolutionary when she burnt
Mao’s picture
• However, his mother knew of the repercussions. She was
driven to desperation due to the prosecution of her
family members prior to cultural revolution, therefore,
showing that posters do not affect those whose life had
been affected by CCP
• Hongbin’s brother begged for his mother to not commit
such “horrendous” act, but the children still denounced
him because of the “political pressure”. Also, Hongbin
during that time saw her mother as a “monster” and an
enemy after her denouncement of Mao.
• However, after Cultural Revolution, Hongbin regretted his
actions deeply, saying he worse “worse than an animal”
Case Study: Cultural Revolution
• Another “confession” was from a red soldier called
Wang Jiyu
• Another red soldier in a different faction attacked him
with a brick
• This caused him to retaliate by hitting that soldier with his
club until the club was bloodied
• Later on, Wang Jiyu realised that the boy was dying in a
hospital, and he was shocked at the damage he caused
• He was arrested after almost 9 months despite turning
himself in almost immediately due to the state of chaos
China was in
• The parents of the boy forgave him, thus resulting in his
release
• However, he no longer participated in being a Red
Analysis of case study
• Posters do not generate “political pressure” as it only
changes mindset
• Cultural Revolution appears to stem from and is
maintained by herd effect
• Youths often follow their friends and siblings to maintain
cultural revolution by going on revolution with them
• As evident from previous literature, some people are
more affected by these posters and take the initiative to
act as the “leader” in every state and country, causing
the ripple effect among the people
• The brainwashed soldiers do not appear to reflect or
think of their actions as they see violence everywhere,
and almost appeared to be desensitized
Limitation
• The full effect of these posters on the Chinese people is
difficult to be determined as it is largely undocumented.
There is a gap in knowledge as Chinese people than are
too afraid to speak up during the Communist era but
now, even though they are willing to, perceptions may
have change. Authenticity of response may also be
altered due to memory lapses due to time and fear of
persecution. Thus, this paper is unable to give a
completely accurate measure of how the art in Chinese
propaganda posters have influenced the people
specifically, though the general effect can be
measured. Also, the analysis may lack a comparison for
a fuller understanding of the effect of art on communism
and what are the more popular methods dictators rely
on to convey a strong message in their posters.
Conclusion
• Political Posters affect people differently, but causes a lot
of tension
• Certain people are more affected, and they take the
initiative to influence others to follow communist
ideologies
• Cultural Revolution was Mao realising the tension that
these posters have created in society, and using them to
his advantage when he realised his power has
diminished
• However, Cultural Revolution spiraled out of control, with
the Red Army fighting each other due to miscalculation
of power of posters
• In other times, the posters brought across positive
message that shaped up the Chinese society in general
Timeline
Blibiography
• •Adajian, T. (2007, October 23). The Definition of Art.
Retrieved June 1, 2015, from
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/art-definition/
• •Alex Scott (2002 ). Tolstoy’s What is Art?. [ONLINE] from
http://www.angelfire.com/md2/timewarp/tolstoy.html .
• •Michael McCarty (2000). THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF
CHINESE COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA . [ONLINE] from
http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php
?id=19565 .
• •Murong Xuecun (2013). The New face of Chinese
propaganda. [ONLINE] from
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/21/opinion/sunday/m
urong-the-new-face-of-chinese-propaganda.html?_r=0 .
• Nbcnewscom. (2015). Nbcnewscom. Retrieved 20
Blibiography
• Mao Zedong (1957). SPEECH AT THE CHINESE
COMMUNIST PARTY'S NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
PROPAGANDA WORK. [ONLINE] from
https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/select
ed-works/volume-5/mswv5_59.html .
• •Anne-Marie Brady. Guiding Hand: The Role of the CCP
Central Propaganda Department in the Current Era .
[ONLINE] from
https://www.westminster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/00
15/20148/5-Brady-interim_2_.pdf .
• •Frank Langfitt (2012 ). The Art Of Chinese Propaganda.
[ONLINE] from
http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/11/16/1647
85930/the-art-of-chinese-propaganda .
•
Blibiography
• •Andrew Bozio (2006, June 1). Interpreting Power in the
Political Poster. [ONLINE] from
http://www.uky.edu/Centers/Asia/SECAAS/Seras/2006/B
ozio.htm
• Tania branigan. (2013). The Guardian. Retrieved 3 July,
2015, from
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/27/china
-cultural-revolution-sons-guilt-zhang-hongping
• 解放军报（2015，June 10）.陶克：人民军队为何雷锋多.
Retrieved July 3,2015, from
• http://theory.people.com.cn/n/2015/0610/c4053127131636.html
• 王建伟（2015，March 15）.雷锋精神影响了我的一生.
Retrieved July 3,2015, from
• http://www.wenku1.com/view/2FC7E704D04367C4.html
Blibiography
• 六羽毛儿(2011,January 12).雷锋精神的负面影响.Retrieved
July 3rd,2015,from
• http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bb00f450100nylu.html
• Chineseposters.net(2015,January 15).Lei Feng
Gallery.Retrieved June 7th,2015,from
• http://chineseposters.net/gallery/theme-15.php
• Chineseposters.net(2015,January 15).Great Leap
Forward (1956-1960).Retrieved June 7th,2015,from
• http://chineseposters.net/gallery/theme-04.php
• Chineseposters.net(2015,January 15).Cultural Revolution
(1966-1968).Retrieved June 7th,2015,from
• http://chineseposters.net/gallery/theme-07.php
Blibiography
•
Nbcnewscom. (2015). Nbcnewscom. Retrieved 20
August, 2015, from
http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/09/27/7
995099-former-red-guard-breaks-silence-on-murder?lite