16-06-2016, 09:39 AM
672
Re: The Pages of Punch
1960: What is the Joke?
This cartoon is clearly inspired by MacMillan’s Wind of Change as the Empire was being dismantled. The moustache wearing Brits, both civil and military, are handing over sovereignty to a delighted delegation of new rulers. The Brits don’t look too happy about it. Why shouldn’t the new government get cracking on a design for a flag etc.?
Does the cartoon imply that they haven’t planned any of this in advance? I rather think it does. In most cases the governments of new states consisted of ex freedom fighters who will have spent a fair bit of time in British prisons. Plenty of time to do this sort of planning, I would have thought.
It seems to me that this an example of the resistance to change with which MacMillan was grappling. Even the body language of the man showing the new President how to sign the document of independence exudes condescension.
17-06-2016, 10:02 AM
673
Re: The Pages of Punch
1960: Tax Avoidance is Alive and Well
His original intention was to use the losses from his farm to offset some of the excess profits from his City activities. Instead of being pleased that his farm is indeed profitable his warped mind feels that he now has to clock up some City losses to justify buying the farm. This, of course, is nonsense but is typical of a kind of mind-set that is still with us today.
21-06-2016, 10:02 AM
678
Re: The Pages of Punch
1960: Cheap Petrol
The clear expectation here is that the garage on the right will ‘clean up’ when the cheap petrol does serious damage to its purchaser’s car. Although I was driving a car at the time I have no memory of a price war.
By the way the 'good' petrol costs four shillings and eight and a half pence. This probably needs to be explained.
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