After reading the original tale to my two year-old, I can see now that we have been here before... by Bill Gee
(centrist)
Monday, March 28, 2011
About two months ago my two year-old son fell in love with the 1939 production of The Wizard of Oz staring Judy Garland. He loves the music, the dancing and I think he grasps the basic storyline as well. In order to give him a greater enhancement of the nuances of the tale, and to encourage him to read, we purchased an original version of the tale in a popup book first published prior to the MGM movie release.
For those of you who do not know, the original tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was first published in 1900 and was written by L. Frank Baum. The story was strongly influenced by his experiences in draught-ridden South Dakota where he counted the Populist Senator James Kyle as a close friend and singing companion. The founder of the Populist (aka People's) Party was none other than William Jennings Bryan. One of the key issues favored by Bryan and his fellow Populists was the abandonment of the Gold Standard and embracing a multi-metallurgic currency standard (Silver, in particular). Bryan lost his Presidential bid against William McKinley in 1896 by a margin of 600,000 votes, and then again in 1900 by a much wider margin.
It is unclear if L. Frank Baum ever favored an abandonment of the Gold Standard and then changed his mind at the time of the publication of his book, but what is clear that the tale itself is designed to send a subtle message to America's children that silver was "evil" and that gold was "good".
Oz as "Gold Standard" Propaganda
Much of the propaganda elements of the original tale were removed from the 1939 MGM version of the tale. After all, the studio was making a family film and wanted to steer clear of any political messages. Also, Ruby Slippers look much more dazzling on Technicolor film than Silver Slippers could ever be. In fact, the storyline is quite different from the original Baum book as its message of "There's no place like home", was nowhere in the original book. Here is a quick synopsis of the book from the Gold Standard perspective.
Dorothy, an innocent girl from Kansas, finds herself in Oz where her house lands on top of the Wicked Witch of the East. She is given the Silver slippers that was worn by the Wicked Witch by the Good Witch of the North and told that her only hope to get home again was to see the Great Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City. Notice that both Wicked Witches wore Silver slippers while both Good Witches wore Golden slippers.
Dorothy and Toto encounter the Scarecrow, who represents the Midwestern farmer. He is good natured and loyal, but has no brains in his head. They then encounter the Tin Woodsman, who represents the industrialist. What he lacks is a heart (aka compassion). Finally, the meet up with the Cowardly Lion, who some scholars believe represents the American Wilderness. He was once "King of the Forest" but he lost that position because his courage was taken from him. All four companions are make their way to the Emerald City with the belief that the Great Wizard will magically give them everything they need.
It's no accident that the Emerald City is green. The city itself is built on the "Greenback" or paper currency. The city is grand and beautiful, but built upon a lie. After sending Dorothy on the seemingly impossible task of killing the Wicked Witch of the West, it is revealed that the Wizard himself is a fraud who uses smoke and mirrors to project greatness. The Emerald City is Washington DC, of course, and the "Wizard" is none other than the President of the United States. (The original woodcuts of the Wizard are simply a shorter version of President McKinley)
At this point the story takes another dramatic turn from the 1939 film version. In the Frank Baum version, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion and the Wizard travel to the Golden Palace of the Good Witch of the North. Now that the evil "Silver" Witches have been destroyed, the Good Witch can take her Golden Wand and grant all of the wishes of the characters.
With a brain, the Scarecrow becomes the new ruler of the Emerald City. In other words, America would be returned to its agrarian roots where it belongs.
With a heart, the Tin Man becomes the ruler of the "Winkies", who were once the slaves of the Wicked Witches. In other words, a new compassionate ruler of the working class will work with the agricultural sector to create a more harmonious relationship between industry and agriculture.
With courage, the Lion becomes King of the Forest. In other words, the needs of agriculture and industry will work in harmony with the natural world so that everyone's needs are met and the environment would be protected.
Both the Wizard and Dorothy are sent home, the Wizard in his balloon, and Dorothy is sent home by using the Silver Slippers to literally "step" back to Kansas and back to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. The Wizard is forgiven for being the fraud that he was because he was seen as a "good ruler" provided that the people of Emerald City are never told the truth. Dorothy, ever the innocent foil, is returned to her family after helping to set the world of Oz aright.
Lessons from Oz
110 years after the original publication of Frank Baum's book, the debate regarding the future of currency and the "true" American culture continues. The Emerald City continues to be run by those more interested in creating illusions of stability rather than creating a more balanced economy. The Midwestern farmer and the Working Class is still seen as largely ignorant and the people of "industry" (especially on Wall Street) as seen as "heartless". The "Lion" still has no courage as our natural resources continue to be extracted at an alarming rate. Gold still holds an almost divine status as the "commodity of confidence" as confidence falls on everything else. Silver is still seen as "evil", but we are still not sure why.
In other words, very little has changed over the past century, and I fear that it will take more than a wave of a golden wand to set things right.
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