ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON POLITICAL AUTHORITY IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE: THE FALLIBLE LEADER IN L. FRANK BAUM AND DR. SEUSS

In: The Western political quarterly: official journal of Western Political Science Association, Band 36, Heft 2, S. 326-336

Abstract

SINCE THE EARLIEST REPORTS OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION STUDIES CHILDREN'S LITERATURE HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF CHILDREN'S IDEALIZED VIEWS OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY. AN EXAMINATION OF STORIES BY THE TWO BEST-SELLING AMERICAN AUTHORS FOR CHILDREN, HOWEVER, INDICATES THAT LEADERS ARE NOT PRESENTED IN A BENEVOLENT LIGHT BUT INSTEAD ARE OFTEN DEPICTED AS FALLIBLE AND SELFISH. THE IDEALIZATION IN THE STORIES IS NOT OF THE LEADER'S ABILITIES, BUT OF THE INDIVIDUAL PROTAGONIST'S POWER AS A LONE POLITICAL FORCE, EVEN THE SMALLEST AND MOST ORDINARY. THE STORIES APPEAR TO STRESS THE AMERICAN VALUES OF INDIVIDUALISM AND EGALITARIANISM ABOVE RESPECT FOR POLITICAL AUTHORITY.