littlehelper wrote:Egg wrote:Question from Egg:
Is a capitalist necessarily a Republican, or a Democrat as well?
Gee, I'd say both. I was more thinking of, how does Barks reflect any right or left-wing views in his stories?
littlehelper wrote:Actually, my bad re: "gee, i'd say both" - you could have a republican wanting to "destroy the money system so that something better can take its place" just as much as a democrat. Probably not a typical republican or democrat view, but I'm sure there are people on both sides that shun capatalism that aren't nessecarily "closet-far left".
Examples from stories? Egg doesn't know what would be right-wing or left-wing. But Egg can try to give some cases which might fit in one or both of them.
Washing woman in WDC 124, panel 4.3 and 4,4:
"Please, please, mister McDuck! Don't take my washing machine!"
"I need it to support my husband and three-sons-in-law!"
http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=W+WDC+124-02Is this right-wing or left-wing?
Donald feels sorry for the poor woman versus Scrooge the rich duck. But should we feel sorry? The woman not only works for her own husband, but also for the husbands of her daughters. Why doesn''t her husband work? Why don't her daughters work? Why don't the husbands of her daughters work?
In this story, as Egg interprets it, pokes fun at the poor people that have borrowed money from rich Scrooge. In a way that the reader doesn't need to feel sorry for them. As if it's just fair that Scrooge is so rich and that they are still poor.
'The Great Wig Mystery', US 52, panel 9.5 to 9.7:
Donald, on an island: "I see you're an up-to-date nation! Have you got TELEPHONES?"
Doctor Witchie Britchie: "HAVE we gottee telephones!"
"All colors, all shapes, Fly Boy!"
"Only trouble is only ONE has wires! It's a hot line to the World Loan Bank!"
http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=W+US+++52-01Here Kooko Coco appears to be a poor country that thanks at least some of it's modern facilitities to borrowing money from rich countries. They don't seem to use a regular telephone line for that, but a "hot line". As if poor countries misuse money to buy too much unnecessary material (too much telephones).
Elsewhere in the story, Duckburg appears to have a lazy, corrupt court. On page 8 the amount of damage Scrooge has to pay is measured on how much money Scrooge owns. As if there's no mercy for the rich people. Poor people can rob them by law.
Panel 8.4 and 8.5:
male: "Let's get down to business, jurors! Shall we award that poor, ailing sneezer the damages he seeks?"
female: "He's suing for one maximajillion dollars! How MUCH is that?"
male: "Don't know, but it SOUNDS reasonable considering that McDuck's fortune is nine hundred fantasticatillion, seven hundred doubledecadecillion, eight hundred kumquatmafrillion --"
female: "Okay! Okay! You've made your point!"
'The Giant Robot Robbers', US 58, panel 9.7:
Mayor: "Don't do anything to pique those Beagle Boys, officers! They might DAMAGE the man-robots for spite!"
Officers: "Alas! This is the darkest day in the history of law and order!"
Panel 19.7:
Mayor, after personally being put in the mud: "Army, shoot those robots to pieces if you have to! I want those BEAGLE BOYS!"
Panel 20.3:
Mayor: "SOMEBODY has to PAY for the damage to those man-robots -- and YOU'RE the only guy rich enough, McDuck!"
http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=W+US+++58-02Egg interprets this story as refering to corruption. The government makes expensive mistakes and lets rich people, who are rich enough, pay the bill for it. Egg thinks that's very political.
Are these examples interesting?