Spanking in political satire and propaganda

George W. Bush spanked by the Statue of Liberty.

The subject of spanking has often been used methaphorically in political cartoons (such as those printed in newspapers) and other media. Such political cartoons are a special case of spanking cartoons. The spanker and the spankee characters are often caricatures of politicians, but can also stand for abstract concepts such as a nation or the press. The spanking implement symbolize e.g. military action, or a new law passed.

History

15th to 19th century

The earliest example found so far is from 1631, and there are many from the 15th to 19th century (see images below).

World War I and II

Propaganda postcards from World War I often show the enemy being spanked by the soldiers of the country in which these propaganda postcards were published. They were thought to boost morale.

Cartoon by the Austrian artist Fritz Gareis, 1918.

For more image examples from Germany, 1914, see a separate gallery below.

During World War II there were a number of cartoons and illustrations that mocked Hitler by showing him being punished by the Allies. For example, the published sheet music for "Adolf", a satirical song, bears an illustration of Hitler being spanked by a soldier (see image). A political cartoon about Germany's 1943 defeat at Stalingrad depicts Stalin spanking Hitler over his knee while a school headmaster (representing the Allied Forces), birch rod in hand, approaches.

Modern examples

Trump meets the strop. Artwork by Marilla Thackery (2017).

Modern examples of spanking in political satire include politicians as statues, such as U.S president George W. Bush spanked by the Statue of Liberty.

In a humorous promo video for the 2012 Texas All-State Spanking Party held annually in Dallas, spanking actor Sarah Gregory plays former political candidate Sarah Palin (spanked by Dana Specht). See the video at Spanking Tube.

Another example is a satirical political cartoon from 2019 by Ben Garrison in which Mother Nature spanks climate change activist Greta Thunberg.^[1]

Gallery

Wolbestalte Pritzschule ("Well-equipped spanking school", 1631). Swedish soldiers spank soldiers from the German Catholic League with large paddles.
Miniature of Empress Maria Theresa with her children (1750).
'Westminster School, or Dr Busby settling accounts with Master Billy and his Playmates ...', 1785
Vintage French spanking cartoon, c. 1787-1790.
May 1793 attack on French Revolution organizer Théroigne de Méricourt by Jacobin women.
"Argument against Feeling", c. 1795
George Cruikshank: "Old Blucher beating the Corsican Big Drum", 8 April 1814. (Prussian Generalfeldmarschall (field marshal) Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher giving Napoleon a good spanking.)
Belgian cartoon on "Responsible Government" (1828-1829).
The naughty children, political spanking cartoon (1849).
Spanking caricature depicting Tsarina Olga, by Gustave Doré (1832-1883).
Stephen finding "His Mother". Political spanking cartoon about the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1860.
"Was ist das Deutsche Vaterland? (Ein unfehlbares Schlagwort.)" German political cartoon (3rd quarter of the 19th century).
Cartoon in Puck showing Peter Cooper spanking his son, N.Y. Mayor Edward Cooper (1879).
Political spanking caricature from Berliner Wespen (1882).
Le Don Quichotte N°853, Une fessée méritée (1890).
"Achtung! Er kommt! Man soll den Teufel nicht an die Wand malen" by Ludwig Stutz (1895).
Germany whipping England's Secretary of State, Joseph Chamberlain (c. 1901).
William Howard Taft is spanked by his 'mother', Ohio (1912).
A Russian soldier spanks the German Kaiser Wilhelm while trampling on the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph (c. 1914/15).
"La fessée Présidentielle" (the presidential spanking), political caricature of French president Raymond Poincaré flogging the German emperor William II.
"Keeping Warm", LA Times (c. 1920).
Bestrafung an der frischen Luft, political cartoon by Thomas Theodor Heine.

Germany 1914 gallery

The following gallery shows German propaganda postcards from the early phase of World War I (1914). So called "Dreschparolen" (thrashing paroles) were at that time very popular. Later, these cards were banned.

"Nun wollen wir sie aber dreschen." (Now let us thrash them.)
Gruss aus der Kriegsschule ("Greetings from War School").
"Nur nich' drängeln! Ihr kommt alle ran!" (No pushing! You'll all get your turn!")
No pushing -- everyone gets their turn.
No pushing, everyone gets their turn.
"Europäischer Dreschplatz" (European Threshing Floor).
"Donner, dorian und daun, ich werd' euch helfen Äppel klaun!"
"Besohlanstalt Germania", by Franz Hoglowski.