These are These are valuable tools for valuable tools for the propagandistthe propagandist

They make a political They make a political point without point without

“naming names”“naming names”

All are examples of thisAll are examples of this

Another story ….Another story ….

One you are certainly One you are certainly familiar with ...familiar with ...Is a parable Is a parable

about Populismabout Populism

In fact, you almost In fact, you almost certainly saw the certainly saw the movie that was movie that was

based on this book.based on this book.

The book’s about PopulismThe book’s about Populism

Let’s review Let’s review populism….populism….

A turn-of-the-A turn-of-the-century movementcentury movement

took root in the took root in the mid-west …. mid-west ….

The “farm belt”The “farm belt”

Farmers had borrowed Farmers had borrowed money to buy modern (for money to buy modern (for that time) equipment. Just that time) equipment. Just like today, they relied on a like today, they relied on a good economy and good good economy and good weather to allow them to weather to allow them to repay the loans.repay the loans.

Farmers were having Farmers were having difficulty paying off the difficulty paying off the loans due to deflationloans due to deflation andand

(What is deflation?)

What happens to value when What happens to value when there is too little of something?there is too little of something?

That’s when too few That’s when too few dollars are in circulationdollars are in circulation

To make matters worse, To make matters worse, their income could be their income could be impacted by weather such impacted by weather such as...as...

Bankers, industrialists Bankers, industrialists and government turned a and government turned a “deaf ear” when farmers “deaf ear” when farmers suggested an increase in suggested an increase in

the money supplythe money supply

High immigration kept High immigration kept industry wages lowindustry wages low

While farmers re-paid While farmers re-paid loans with dollars that were loans with dollars that were

worth “more” than those worth “more” than those they borrowedthey borrowed

High immigration kept High immigration kept industry wages lowindustry wages low

While farmers re-paid While farmers re-paid loans with dollars that were loans with dollars that were

worth “more” than those worth “more” than those they borrowedthey borrowed

Populists wanted “free Populists wanted “free minting” of silver to minting” of silver to

increase the money supplyincrease the money supplyThey suggested a 16:1They suggested a 16:1

totoratioratio

There had been silver strikes There had been silver strikes in Montana and elsewhere in in Montana and elsewhere in

the Northwest. the Northwest. MORE MORE SILVER!SILVER!

Uncle Sugar, the bankers and Uncle Sugar, the bankers and the industrialists liked things the industrialists liked things

as they wereas they were

They told the farmers They told the farmers to leave “economics” to leave “economics”

to people smart to people smart enough to understand enough to understand

Populists decided Populists decided to take things in to take things in their own handstheir own hands

They supported a They supported a presidential candidate who presidential candidate who

was ...was ...A Great Orator...A Great Orator...

He could hold a He could hold a crowd “spellbound”crowd “spellbound”

Ran for PresidentRan for Presidentand lostand lost

Three timesThree times

O.K.O.K.

Lets take a Lets take a look at the look at the

storystory

How are silver and How are silver and gold measured?gold measured?

By the ounce, of courseBy the ounce, of course

……and what is the and what is the abbreviation for ounce?abbreviation for ounce?

Does that ring a bell?Does that ring a bell?

Where does the story begin?Where does the story begin?

Right in the middle of the farm beltRight in the middle of the farm belt

Who goes to Oz?Who goes to Oz?

Dorothy and Toto...Dorothy and Toto...……and Toto … and Toto … en totoen toto

En toto …. In total … En toto …. In total … all together…..all together…..

Dorothy represents ...Dorothy represents ...

Her house lands on the Her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the...Wicked Witch of the...

who is wearing...who is wearing...No, they were made ofNo, they were made of

Her house lands on the Her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the...Wicked Witch of the...

who is wearing...who is wearing...No, they were made ofNo, they were made of

The movie was filmed The movie was filmed using a WONDERFUL using a WONDERFUL NEW PROCESS called ...NEW PROCESS called ...

The studio executives The studio executives decided “ruby shoes” decided “ruby shoes” would “show off” the new would “show off” the new film process with their film process with their

sparkling red colorsparkling red color..

Dorothy meets the good witch of the...Dorothy meets the good witch of the...

Where was a silver strike?Where was a silver strike?

Is Montana in the North?Is Montana in the North?

… … and how about gold strikes?and how about gold strikes?

And Alaska is …….And Alaska is …….

She tells Dorothy to put She tells Dorothy to put on the silver slippers on the silver slippers

and follow the...and follow the...

Let’s take a moment to examine...Let’s take a moment to examine...

Could that represent Could that represent the silver/gold parity?the silver/gold parity?

Might the Wicked Witch Might the Wicked Witch of the East representof the East represent

andand

??

As Dorothy headed down the As Dorothy headed down the road, she met….road, she met….

WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE SCARECROW REPRESENTS?SCARECROW REPRESENTS?

He had been told how He had been told how simple and stupid he was...simple and stupid he was...

Was he Was he reallyreally stupid? stupid?

Then they met...Then they met...

Who wanted a ...Who wanted a ...

He had been He had been de-humanizedde-humanized by working too hardby working too hard

Who might Tin Man represent?Who might Tin Man represent?

Who else had been de-Who else had been de-humanized?humanized?

He had been He had been de-humanizedde-humanized by working too hardby working too hard

Who might Tin Man represent?Who might Tin Man represent?

Who else had been de-Who else had been de-humanized?humanized?

Remember the Remember the immigrants? Those immigrants? Those poor souls who so poor souls who so outnumbered jobs that outnumbered jobs that their value was nil?their value was nil?

… … and maybe the and maybe the MunchkinsMunchkins – those poor – those poor little people who lived in little people who lived in a land ruled by the a land ruled by the Wicked Eastern WitchWicked Eastern Witch – – represent them toorepresent them too

They next met….They next met….

Who wanted ….Who wanted ….

He was He was ALL ROARALL ROAR with no substancewith no substance

Hmmmmm… a great orator Hmmmmm… a great orator …. Unable to follow through…. Unable to follow through

Who might the lion represent?Who might the lion represent?

……perhaps Bryan???perhaps Bryan???

We aren’t We aren’t finished yetfinished yet

Who tried to keep Who tried to keep them away from Oz?them away from Oz?

The Wicked The Wicked Witch of the...Witch of the...WESTWEST

Weather Weather systems in the systems in the northern northern hemisphere hemisphere move from….move from….

What kind of What kind of weather plagued weather plagued

the farmers?the farmers?

Remember 1860, 1880’s?Remember 1860, 1880’s?

……and what is and what is the cure for the cure for

drought?drought?

WATER!WATER!

HH22OO

……and what and what destroyed the destroyed the

Wicked Witch of the Wicked Witch of the West?West?

Who did Dorothy and the rest Who did Dorothy and the rest think could solve their problems?think could solve their problems?

……and could he???and could he???He was a charlatan!He was a charlatan!

The Wizard claimed all The Wizard claimed all sorts of powers he really sorts of powers he really

didn’t possessdidn’t possessWho or what does he represent? Who or what does he represent?

Who claims to be able to solve Who claims to be able to solve ALLALL of our problems even of our problems even though they can’t?though they can’t?

The Wizard claimed all The Wizard claimed all sorts of powers he really sorts of powers he really

didn’t possessdidn’t possessWho or what does he represent? Who or what does he represent?

Who claims to be able to solve Who claims to be able to solve ALLALL of our problems even of our problems even though they can’t?though they can’t?

Who claimed to be “all Who claimed to be “all knowing” and best equipped knowing” and best equipped

to make decisions?to make decisions?

Do you think the wizard Do you think the wizard might represent the might represent the

government?government?

In fact, according to the In fact, according to the story, who had the power story, who had the power

to get Dorothy home?to get Dorothy home?

She did!She did!

……and according to and according to the Populists, who the Populists, who really has the power, really has the power, the authority to make the authority to make decisions?decisions?

Who has the power to Who has the power to determine what becomes determine what becomes of us …. Where we go?of us …. Where we go?Each of us controls Each of us controls

his own destinyhis own destiny

L. Frank Baum never actually said L. Frank Baum never actually said his story was about Populismhis story was about Populism

But HE But HE WASWAS a populist a populistEverything fits so well it seems a Everything fits so well it seems a

shame to let it go to wasteshame to let it go to waste……and besidesand besides

Music wav filesMusic wav files(excluding clips from “The Wizard of (excluding clips from “The Wizard of Oz”)Oz”)

SoundAmerica.comSoundAmerica.com

Images:Images:Non-Character imagesNon-Character imagesWitchWitchMan and HatMan and Hat

M/S clipart filesM/S clipart filesOther charactersOther characters

©© J. M. Joeb J. M. Joeb““The Wizard of Oz”The Wizard of Oz”

L. Frank BaumL. Frank Baum

… … just one more example just one more example of political statements of political statements being made through the being made through the arts.arts.

Looney Toons Theme (Warner Bros.)Looney Toons Theme (Warner Bros.)http://Frogstar.comhttp://Frogstar.com

… … just one more example just one more example of political statements of political statements being made through the being made through the arts.arts.

This Power Point Presentation © J. M. Joebwww.teacherjoe.com

Permission for educational use is granted.