There is an interesting little collection of Soviet propaganda posters and political cartoons at this site. The poster above is a fine, Depression-era example. The headline reads: “Same year, but different weather.” The thermometers are respectively labeled, “Soviet Industrial Rate” and “American Industrial Rate.”

On the dark, stormy American side we have a sickly, evil banker with sterotypically Jewish features. Oh, but how sunny and robust things are over on the Soviet side! (But did the artist slip in a little “truth in advertising” as a subtle protest? Take a closer look at the figures on the thermometers. The American rate is 22% compared to the Soviet rate of 20%.)

Irony alert: In 21st Century capitalist America, Michael Moore gets wildly rich producing propaganda arguments on film like the ones on these posters.