the writer Lev Kormchy described children’s literature as the “forgotten weapon”, writing in Pravda in 1918: “In the great arsenal used by the bourgeoisie to fight against Socialism, children’s books occupied a prominent role. In choosing our cannons and weapons, we have overlooked those that spread poison. We must seize this ammunition from the enemy hands.”
…Artists and writers were charged with producing a children’s literature based on the real world: workers, industry, technology, transport, food, everyday objects, animals and buildings.
There was even the 1930 page-turner, a children’s version of Stalin’s Five Year Plan.
More in the FT.
What would be on he capitalist list of children’s books?
Indoctrination, its method, effectiveness and impact is dramatically understudied in economics and political science. I don’t think you can fully understand political behavior, labor markets, or most household choice without it.
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When I was little, my favorite book was Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish http://amzn.com/014055260X . But the fact that it referred to the moon as a star really bugged me. As I grew older, it just kind of seemed natural that a book containing such heinous misinformation should be socialist propaganda.
“The Giver” by Lois Lowry would definitely be on the list. Also, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”.
The Little Red Hen comes to mind
Just last week, I was flipping a 50’s era picture book (republished as late as 2007 and still widely available in bookstores) to my 7-month old and I too noticed the creep factor that’s in children’s literature.
Blogged about this as “Baby’s First Book: Simulacra and Social Construction in action”: http://pagejumper.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/babys-first-book-simulacra-and-social-construction-in-action/