Political satire

George Cruikshank (1792–1878) was one of the first to pioneer the genre of political cartoons. In this 1823 depiction, the French monarch Louis XVIII fails to fit into Napoleon's boots as his crown falls from his head.
A satire by Angelo Agostini to Revista Illustrada mocking the lack of interest from Emperor Pedro II of Brazil in politics toward the end of his reign.

Political satire is a type of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics. Political satire can also act as a tool for advancing political arguments in conditions where political speech and dissent are banned.

Example of contemporary Australian political satire presented as a parody advertisement.

Political satire is usually distinguished from political protest or political dissent, as it does not necessarily carry an agenda nor seek to influence the political process. While occasionally it may, it more commonly aims simply to provide entertainment. By its very nature, it rarely offers a constructive view in itself; when it is used as part of protest or dissent, it tends to simply establish the error of matters rather than provide solutions.[1] Because of the exaggerated[2] manner of these parodies, satirical news shows can more effectively sway their audiences to believe specific ideas by overemphasizing the flaws of the critiqued subject.[3] This can be very harmful to the reputation of public figures or organizations since the satire frames them in a comical way.[4]

  1. ^ Becker, Amy B. (July 2, 2020). "Applying mass communication frameworks to study humor's impact: advancing the study of political satire". Annals of the International Communication Association. 44 (3): 273–288. doi:10.1080/23808985.2020.1794925. ISSN 2380-8985. S2CID 221380766.
  2. ^ "What is Satire? || Definition & Examples". College of Liberal Arts. October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  3. ^ Etty, John (January 2, 2019), "A "School for Laughter": Carnivalesque Humor and Menippean Satire in Krokodil", Graphic Satire in the Soviet Union, University Press of Mississippi, pp. 73–100, retrieved November 13, 2023
  4. ^ Peifer, Jason T. (July 2, 2013). "Palin,Saturday Night Live, and Framing: Examining the Dynamics of Political Parody". The Communication Review. 16 (3): 155–177. doi:10.1080/10714421.2013.807117. ISSN 1071-4421.