For as long as there has been propaganda, people have wondered whether they could be swayed by targeted images. Yet instead of asking whether or not an illustration can truly change one’s views on social and political issues, it seems we’ve been focusing on the wrong question — how cool do they look?
From old-school political cartoons to World War II posters and even Dr. Seuss drawings, here are 20 cool propaganda posters from history.
1
“This patient is hopeless. He was diagnosed with a complete lack of dollars. Soviet Union,1950s”
2
“‘What has he done to deserve this?’ - anti-metric poster, U.S., 1917”
3
“’The World According to Ronald Reagan’, by David Horsey, 1987.”
4
“2009 Net Neutrality Poster”
5
“’We Won't Stand for the Flag, Until the Flag Stands for the People’ Counter Culture Poster by Bill Stettner, circa 1970”
6
“’Careful, honey, he's anti-choice' — Pro-choice poster, 1981, USA”
7
“Don’t Poke The Bear… 2001”
8
“Just drop my body on the steps of the F.D.A.” USA, 1988
9
“DC statehood poster (2006)”
10
“‘Thanksgiving’ United States, 1967”
11
“‘Let them die in the streets’ USA, 1990”
12
“Anti-vac comic from the 1940s.Stupidity is Timeless.”
13
“'Racism tears Britain apart’, 2002”
14
“’Diplomacy, the American way’, USSR, 1986”
15
“In a protest against censorship, photographer A.L. Schafer staged this iconic photograph in 1934, violating as many rules as possible in one shot.”
16
“’Self determination for the Black Belt. Vote communist’, USA, 1932”
17
“America First by Dr Seuss (1941)”
19
“‘Where is the fifth pig?’ (1940) Anti-German puzzle created in occupied Holland”
20
“’Rationing Means a Fair Share For All of Us’ - USA, 1940s”
