The trivial is political

Your paper should be 3.5 to 5 pages in length and double-spaced (12 point Times New Roman font with 1 inch margins; do not double-space your name/the date/etc., do not double-space block quotes, and do not add extra space between paragraphs). Give your paper a title. When citing particular quotes or passages, please use Chicago Style endnotes. The use of outside sources is not allowed without prior approval—the readings, your notes, and the optional textbook are the only sources you need to consult when writing this paper.

Topic: The Trivial is Political

Slavenka Drakulic argues that “the trivial is political” in her collection of essays describing life in Eastern Europe during the Cold War, suggesting that communism’s failure to live up to its promises of prosperity eventually led to the system’s downfall. Historian Mary Neuburger indicates that the Bulgarian cigarette manufacturers featured in “The Taste of Smoke” also understood that access to consumer goods was essential to the survival of the communist system.

Using the above readings as evidence, as well as the chapter by Victoria de Grazia if needed, write and essay explaining the relationship between consumption and politics in the Eastern Bloc. Things to consider: How was the communist perspective on leisure and consumption different from that of the West? Was consumer culture in Eastern Europe comparable in some ways to that of Western Europe despite these differences? What sorts of goods were always in short supply? Which goods seemed more accessible? Drakulic is obviously a critic of communism; does she also critique the West’s attitude towards consumption in any way?

Reading (only source that must be used): https://bb.marymount.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1041607-dt-content-rid-1569109_2/courses/HI-311-A-16SP/How%20We%20Survived%20Communism%20and%20Even%20Laughed.pdf

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