Catalogue Number
NMLH.2023.47
Object Name
Poster
Title
As long as there are two classes Proletarians must agree
People
Bertold Brecht
Date
1972-1982
Description
The Poster Collective was a collective formed in 1971 at the Slade School of Art,  a group formed to initially produce posters in response to the miners strike and on the wars in both Vietnam and Ireland. It was formed on the basis of developing a coherent visual style, which addressed the political issues of the time. This included the armed struggles against colonialism in Africa, the struggle of women for equal rights and the continuing struggle against racism. The collective was active in the 70's and 80's, producing posters on a wide range of issues, including for educational purposes. The group was not-for-profit and used a variety of hand-printing techniques to create their posters. This poster features a photograph of a crowd smiling and waving their fists next to a translation of the United Front Song, a German Labour song written by Bertold Brecht: "And while a man is
flesh and blood
He will ask, if you please, for bread and meat
And windy words wonât be enough
For words aren't good to eat.
Then left, two, three! Then left, two, three!
Comrade, hereâs the place for you.
So fall in with the workersâ united front
For you are a worker too.
And while a man is flesh and blood
He wonât be driven till he drops.
He will want no slaves beneath his feet
And no masters up on top.
Then left, two, three! Then left, two, three!
Comrade, hereâs the place for you.
So fall in with the workersâ united front
For you are a worker too.
As long as there are two classes
Proletarians must agree
Itâs the task of none but the working class
To set the worker free.
Then left, two, three! Then left, two, three!
Comrade, hereâs the place for you.
So fall in with the workersâ united front
For you are a worker too."
Next to this song are the words "As long as there are two classes / Proletarians must agree / It's the task of none but the working class / To set the worker free."
