Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Charlie and the... Exploitation of Barbaric Nations?

Don't worry, you read the title correctly.
After reading Part 1 of the Communist Manifesto, similarities between it and the well-known Johnny Depp movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory rise to the surface. An unlikely comparison? Maybe, but maybe not.
In the Communist Manifesto, the bourgeoisie are described as a class thriving off of industrialization. They "cannot continue to exist without revolutionizing the instruments of production." Does that sound like anybody we know? Willy Wonka's factory remains home to incredible new products and forms of production, such as chocolate rivers, gum containing a three course meal, food coming out of televisions, and many other unheard of innovations. Constantly, Mr Wonka searches for "new and improved" ways to create his candy.

So, it's safe to say...
Bourgeoisie = Willy Wonka

However, the evidence doesn't stop there.

Also mentioned in the Manifesto, the bourgeoisie went so far into advancing in productions that they brought in workers from barbaric nations into civilization and compelled them to follow their means of production. They "create their own world after their own image."

Hang on. Would Oompa-Loompas from Loompa-Land, (a small isolated island in the Atlantic Ocean,) count as workers from barbaric nations? And would the fact that Mr Wonka brought them away from the dangers of Loompa-Land, (such as the Whangdoodles, Hornswogglers and Snozzwangers,) to work in his factory and produce his products count as "compelling them to follow his means of production" ?

Yes, yes it would.

So really, when one thinks about it, comparing the Communest Manifesto to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory makes all kinds of sense.

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