Why Communists Don't Like Thanksgiving

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Why Communists Don’t Like Thanksgiving

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Summary

Thanksgiving has evolved from a religious observance into a family-centric, consumer-driven holiday that emphasizes private values and social gatherings, contrasting sharply with communist ideals that promote communal living and diminish the significance of domestic spaces.

 

Evolution of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving transformed from a Puritan alternative to Christmas into a family-centric holiday featuring large meals, long sermons, and football, with the Pilgrim narrative gaining prominence in the 1900s through public education.

The Victorian era reshaped Thanksgiving into a consumption-driven celebration, emphasizing mass-produced goods and domestic life, as increased food affordability allowed Americans to purchase better silverware, China, clothing, and furniture.

Contrasting Ideologies

The Soviet regime attempted to eliminate the concept of home by housing Russians in state-owned communal apartments with shared kitchens and bathrooms, viewing domestic meals as wasteful and prioritizing factory work.

The American Thanksgiving tradition of consuming food and entertainment, enjoying leisure time, and gathering with family in private living quarters starkly contrasts with the Leninist-Stalinist drive for increased production and minimized consumption to industrialize Soviet society.

Social Impact

The expansion of dining and entertaining spaces has particularly benefited women, who managed private social events and created environments for domestic sociability, while men had more freedom to engage in activities outside the home.