Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.237
Object Name
Poster
Title
French Communist Party Union poster
Place
France
People
French Communist Party
Events
Second World War
Date
1940-1950
Description
Large yellowed poster issued by the French Communist Party. There is black and red text surrounding an image on the left of the poster.This image shows a photograph of cows, sacks, and barrels edited onto a green background. Underneath the photo there is a name of the artist; "Photos Dumas Roubier Et Selection. The translation of this text, from French to English, reads "French Communist Party. Peasants of France, by your union action you obtained the revalorization of the wheat, of the cattle, of the wine, this shows that you can tear off the development of the overall price of the products of the earth. but the revalorization of agricultural products should not be a pretext for the increase in the cost of living, FOR THIS DEMAND: the elimination of Vichyssois supply organizations, the reduction of the profit margins granted to the big intermediaries. Rid of high cost of living trusts, based on government accountability to the nation's elected officials. FORWARD FOR A FRANCE, FOR A REPUBLIC." This is a poster from the French Communist Party advocating trade unions, and how unionising can bring about real change. It states that workers should demand the reduction of profit for larger companies, get rid of high cost living, and governmental accountability. It also says "demand the elimination of Vichyssois supply organisations. "Vichyssois" is referring to and representative of "Vichy France" which is the common name of the French state headed by Philippe Petain during World WarTwo; this was a fascist, xenophobic, corporatist and traditionalist dictatorship.The Vichy government established itselfin the resort town of Vichy, in the unoccupied "free zone" where it remained responsible for the civil administration of France. The government collaborated with Nazi Gemany, and was seen as a German puppet state. Labour unions came under tight control. with forced labour. anti-semitic, racist and eugenicist laws, and food shortages. The message of this poster is anti-establishment, pro-communist, pro-trade unionist, and is calling for an end in ties to theVichy government, fairer wages, and government accountability. This poster addresses "peasants of France"; French peasants were the largest socio-economic group in France until the mid-20th century., they played a major role in the French revolution and other French protests and radical politics. This poster would have been produced Post World War Two.
