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Josef Stalin

Friday April 5, 2024

April 5, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

The rise of authoritarianism, paralleled with the recurring cosmic event of a solar eclipse, underscores the cyclicality of power dynamics and the perpetual struggle to uphold democracy amidst societal divisions in North America.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 5, 2024

The Eclipsing of Democracy: A Celestial and Political Paradox

Ivan Glassco, The Hamilton Spectator

In 1936, Ivan Glassco’s editorial cartoon for the Hamilton Spectator captured a moment of political symbolism: Adolf Hitler, emerging as a dominant force on the world stage, eclipsed Benito Mussolini, representing the ascendancy of authoritarianism over the fading embers of democracy. This visual metaphor, though born in a specific era, carries timeless resonance, echoing the recurrent pattern of strongmen casting their shadow over democratic institutions throughout history.

As we anticipate the forthcoming solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, Glassco’s imagery takes on a renewed poignancy. Just as the moon intermittently obscures the brilliance of the sun, so too have authoritarian rulers intermittently obstructed the light of democracy. The cosmic phenomenon of an eclipse serves as a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of power dynamics and the transient nature of political dominance.

Poll: Democracy in North America: Significant segments in Canada, U.S. open to authoritarian leadership  

In the aftermath of Super Tuesday, with Trump's resurgence and Biden facing concerns about his age, the upcoming U.S. election requires the campaign teams to dispel perceptions – one addressing Trump's potential authoritarianism and strategic choices, and the other countering worries about Biden's fitness for the presidency.

March 7, 2024

Consider the accounts of Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, who chronicled the extraordinary events of 585 BC when a solar eclipse intervened to halt the relentless conflict between the Medes and the Lydians. In the face of the celestial spectacle, warring factions laid down their arms, seized by a shared sense of awe and reverence. Though separated by millennia, the psychological impact of witnessing such cosmic phenomena remains a unifying force, evoking humility and fostering a sense of interconnectedness among humanity.

Recent studies corroborate this notion, suggesting that the experience of witnessing a total solar eclipse can evoke a profound sense of awe, prompting individuals to feel more deeply connected to their communities and to each other. This transient moment of collective wonder stands in stark contrast to the divisive forces that often fracture societies along political lines.

Yet, as we marvel at the celestial ballet unfolding above us, we cannot afford to overlook the troubling parallels evident in our political landscape. The rise of authoritarianism, not only in distant lands but also within the heartlands of North America, poses a grave threat to the principles of democracy. In both Canada and the United States, significant segments of the population express openness to authoritarian leadership, viewing strongman rule as a viable alternative to democratic governance.

Opinion: The Uniquely American Future of US Authoritarianism

July 20, 2021

In the United States, particularly, the Republican Party has veered toward authoritarianism in recent years, embracing extremist rhetoric and undermining democratic norms. From attempts to overturn election results to attacks on the judiciary and the media, the GOP’s flirtation with authoritarianism has cast a shadow over the future of American democracy.

The events of January 6, 2021, when rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a brazen attempt to overturn a free and fair election, serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of democratic institutions in the face of authoritarian encroachment. The parallels between the celestial and the political are not merely coincidental. Just as a solar eclipse reminds us of the vastness of the cosmos and our place within it, so too do the rise and fall of authoritarian regimes remind us of the fragility of democracy and the constant struggle to preserve it.

BBC: How the solar eclipse may affect the brain and bring people together

As we gaze up at the darkened sun on April 8, reflect not only on the wonders of the universe but also on the challenges facing our own societies. Draw inspiration from the awe-inspiring spectacle above us to reaffirm our commitment to democracy, to reject the siren call of authoritarianism, and to stand together in defence of freedom and justice for all. As the eclipse passes, so too shall the shadow of tyranny be dispelled by the light of liberty…we can only wish. (AI)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro. If you’re creative, give illustration a try:

https://mackaycartoons.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-0405-NAT.mp4

 

Posted in: Canada, Cartooning, USA Tagged: 2024-07, Adolf Hitler, authoritarianism, autocrat, Charles I, dictator, Donald Trump, eclipse, editorial cartooning, Ivan Glassco, Josef Stalin, Julius Caesar, Kim Jong Un, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matthew Gaetz, Napoleon Bonaparte, Pierre Poilievre, procreate, Ron deSantis, solar eclipse, trope, USA, world, Xi Jinping

Tuesday March 28, 2000

March 28, 2000 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday March 28, 2000

Wary optimism best way to view Putin’s regime

When crooks and clowns — the Russian mafia and Boris Yeltsin and Co. — have ruled a country for years, anyone with a modicum of restraint and common sense looks good by comparison. That’s especially true of Russia, a country still struggling in the transformation from a totalitarianism to democracy, from superpower to … well, a much lesser world power.

That’s not to damn president-elect Vladimir Putin with faint praise, but to acknowledge the realities of the massive nation. Russia is still very much the “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” that Winston Churchill described in 1939. Getting elected, let alone governing in Russia, happens within an entirely different set of rules and expectations than here in the comfortable West.

Russia is a nation of terrible disparities: Enormous wealth for a select few and soul-stealing poverty for many more; a space station orbiting Earth but a disintegrating health system that has led to life expectancy for Russian men of just 58 years. Russia today is plagued by crime and alcoholism but is also “Motherland” to a nation of remarkably resilient and patriotic people.

Putin now has to govern while balancing Russians’ still-tentative moves into the unknown of a free-market economy and those same citizens’ demands for restored stability.

Despite all that, the West should be warily pleased with Putin’s election, which appears at the moment to be good for that country and for its neighbours. He has a strong popular mandate and is outspoken in his determination to root out corruption, reverse the country’s fortunes and do it without resorting to the excesses of his former masters.

Putin brings to office the pragmatism and ruthlessness of the spymaster that he was. The brutal assault on Chechnya has been more about campaign strategy than military tactics, and Putin’s first major challenge must be to find a graceful way out before his army becomes mired in an Afghanistan-style war of attrition.

Putin is smart and articulate and has shown he has the ability to be a good manager. Time will tell if he will be a good national leader. In the meantime, the West should applaud the winner of only the second democratic presidential election in Russia’s history — but keep two fingers crossed for Russia while we do so. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial, A10, 3/28/2000)

 

Posted in: International Tagged: Boris Yeltsin, International, Josef Stalin, Leonid Breshnev, Matryoshka dolls, Mikhail Gorbachev, nesting dolls, Russia, Vladimir Putin

Please note…

This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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