Passage from the Emerald city of Oz

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Okay,so me and my friend,who regularly communicate about politics and whatnot,always share things which might be of an interest to each other,whether it be songs,movies,books,etc.So yesterday he sent me this from one of the Oz books he was reading.The passage was taken from "The Emerald City of Oz" by Frank Baum.

I don't know much about the political affiliations of this author,but I just wanted to see if any of you had a decisive opinion about his works,and any potential message buried beneath the plot (assuming you are familiar with his writings).
- - - - - - -
There were no poor people in the Land of Oz, because there was no such thing as money, and all property of every sort belonged to the Ruler. The people were her children, and she cared for them. Each person was given freely by his neighbors whatever he required for his use, which is as much as any one may reasonably desire. Some tilled the lands and raised great crops of grain, which was divided equally among the entire population, so that all had enough. There were many tailors and dressmakers and shoemakers and the like, who made things that any who desired them might wear. Likewise there were jewelers who made ornaments for the person, which pleased and beautified the people, and these ornaments also were free to those who asked for them. Each man and woman, no matter what he or she produced for the good of the community, was supplied by the neighbors with food and clothing and a house and furniture and ornaments and games. If by chance the supply ever ran short, more was taken from the great storehouses of the Ruler, which were afterward filled up again when there was more of any article than the people needed.
- - - - - -

So....what do you guys think? Communism or a "benevolent dictatorship" (hahaha...yeah right! No such thing!)? Fascist?

[Omsk]

Hmh.Interesting,the only thing i can relate to communism is perhaps the Scarecrow and Tinman. Agriculture and Industry = hammer and sickle = communism. But that is just a wild guess.And is probably a coincidence.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I'd always heard that it was influenced by the US People's party and was a Populist allegory. Something about the Wicked Witch of the East being Eastern Industrial capital; the silver slippers having to do with converting to the silver-standard; the tin-man representing workers, the scarecrow the farmers, and the lion... um, cowards?

[Omsk]

The wicked witches (of East and West) symbolize Capitalism.The Wicked Witch of the East dies in the beginning, symbolizing the rise of Communism in the Eastern Hemisphere (USSR, CHINA, EASTERN BLOC etc)



Although i think this is all just bogus.:(

[x359594]

I'd always heard that it was influenced by the US People's party and was a Populist allegory...

Although Baum was a Republican he was associated with the Populist wing of the party (we're not talking about the reactionary Republican Party of later years.) It's known for a fact that he was an unequivocal feminist. The "Oz" books can certainly support Populist readings, and later readers are free to re-interpert the allegorical elements in any way they want.