Laughter as an escape from dictatorship

The journalist Erwan Desplanques has interviewed the French historian Amandine Regamey on 'resistance laughter'. The historian has just published a book on derision under the Soviet dictatorship, the cover of which features a picture of Karl Marx sporting a red nose. "In a context of indoctrination, triumphant conformism and the denial of freedoms, this popular culture of dissenting comedy is the manifestation of considerable critical distance - the contrary of a submissive, oppressed society blinded by dominant ideology. ... Humour permits the open attack of targets which may be in high positions but are weakened by the acceptable nature of the chosen form of assault. Some believe that political jokes were invented by the KGB itself in order to allow frustration to be vented while avoiding more serious attacks against the leadership".

» to the homepage (external link, Télérama)
More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » Russia
All available articles from » Erwan Desplanques