The Simpsons and Communism

[Susurrus]

I don't watch much of it myself, but I stumbled onto this one dark night on youtube:

http://youtu.be/zRo9GhLUUcc

English version:

Farmer: It's over there

Russian Delegate: The Soviet Union would be happy to accept your wayward warship.

American Delegate: The Soviet Union? I thought you guys broke up.

Russian Delegate: Yes, that's what we WANTED you to think! Mwahaha

Lenin: Must... Crush... Capitalism...

Also, Fidel Castro:
http://youtu.be/ZsK1b60Vsx4

[Aurora]

And?

[Sasha]

the whole thing they had with homers estranged mom being an member of the weather underground on the run was way more subversive than that ^

[The Intransigent Faction]

Forgive me for jumping on the "new Simpsons suck" bandwagon, but while the older episodes seem to have some degree of social commentary that's at least more left-leaning than, say, cable news, the new Simpsons are effectively 'dumbed down'.

In any case, I enjoy the older episodes regardless of which way their politics are slanted. They have bashed communism as a theory (or "socialist" countries) on occasion, but they've also bashed right-wing ideology.

[ColonelCossack]

I agree. they seem to take the piss out of everyone.

[praxis1966]

It's true. I don't think they have a political agenda as much as they just want to do more general social satire. It's the reason the show's been on so long; they try to give everybody something to laugh at.

[ComradeGrant]

I think there's an episode when they're in China and Homer asks "so you guys are communist. Why do I see free markets?" or something like that. I wish I could find the clip

[ColonelCossack]

I think there's an episode when they're in China and Homer asks "so you guys are communist. Why do I see free markets?" or something like that. I wish I could find the clip

I've seen that one.

Chinese bureaucrat: NO! Who will save our beloved communist system?
Homer: You guys are COMMIES???... (quietly)... then why am I seeing
rudimentary free market?:confused:
Chinese bureaucrat: :bored:

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

i rofled

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Ah, one of my favorite clips of the simpsons....zombie Lenin raising from the grave to destroy the decedent cappies.

[W1N5T0N]

haha thanks for that man, great stuff.

I love the simpsons.

[Susurrus]

I think the english version was slightly better, the Russian delegate was hilarious and had a perfect evil laugh.

Somebody find the Weather Underground and China clips, those sound most interesting.

[Panda Tse Tung]

Also the show where Homers dad turns out to be a card-carrying CP member and Homer 'borrows' his card.

Plus the Albanian kid who discusses with Lisa about politics and Homer factually taking side with the Albanian kid. Something along the lines off 'Kids, dont fight. You agree that we can say things in the United States and Lisa, you agree that the working class is fundamentally oppressed.'

In conclusion: Homer is secretly a Communist :).

Edit:

found it!

Adil: How can you defend a country where 5 percent of the people control 95 percent of the wealth?
Lisa: I'm defending a country where people can think, and act, and worship any way they want!
Adil: Can not.
Lisa: Can too.
Adil: Can not!
Lisa: Can too!
Homer: Please, please kids! Stop fighting. Maybe Lisa's right about America being the land of opportunity, and maybe Adil has a point about the machinery of capitalism being oiled with the blood of the workers.

edit2:

found the other one.

Abe: I'm a member!
Homer: Huh?
Abe: What?
Homer: What?
Abe: Huh?
Lisa: You're a member of the Stonecutters, Grampa?
Abe: Oh, sure. Let's see...[pulls out wallet, starts going through
it] I'm an elk, a Mason, a communist. I'm the president of the
Gay and Lesbian Alliance for some reason...ah, here it is. The
Stonecutters.
Homer: This is it! My ticket in: they have to let me in if I'm the son
of a member. I'll take this communist one too. [walks out]