Goodall, Alex (2008) The battle of Detroit and anti-communism in the depression era. Historical Journal. pp. 457-480. ISSN 1469-5103
Abstract
This article is an exploration of Diego Rivera's visit to Detroit in 1932-3. It seeks to use his experiences, and in particular the spectacular popular reaction to the Detroit Industry murals he pointed, as a prism for anaylsing varieties of anti-communism in. Detroit in the depression era. The article argues that close relationships between Private capitalists, most notably Hen?)) Ford and a Mexican communist, expose contradictions in big business's use of anti-communism in the interwar period, and suggest that anti-communism was a more complicated phenomenon than simply a tool for the promotion of free enterprise'. Moreover, by comparing the public reaction to the artists' work with their original intent, it is possible to see how members of Detroit's society unconsciously, used anti-communism to sublimate broader concerns over race and ethnicity gender, politics, and religiosity in a region in the throes of profound social change. The article seeks to highlight elements of these latent anxieties and fears in order to show how anti-communism acted as a vessel for social debate.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2008 CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Historical Journal. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (York) > History (York) |
Depositing User: | Repository Administrator York |
Date Deposited: | 01 Aug 2008 13:11 |
Last Modified: | 28 Feb 2025 00:02 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X0800678X |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1017/S0018246X0800678X |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:4130 |