Alternative Rationalities, Strange

Dreams, Absurd Utopias

Written by Ina Merkel

Alexander Wang
Danny Melillo
Tanner Co

The Socialist Economy

Focus on the group instead of the individual

Society of Shortage

Planned economy

Each according to his needs

Consumer Wants and Needs

Not completely anti-hedonistic

Diluted dreams compared to the West
Culture had focus on hard work
Wants and needs shaped by the government
Advertising played a role

A Society of Shortages
Conflicts with Western ideology
Doesnt work with supply and demand
Focus on what is available
Consumers influenced by the government
Problem solving and adaptability

The Use of Advertising

Living purposeful and beautiful

Plastic

Used by government to influence the

masses
Show desirable products, not
necessarily brands
Shaping wants and needs

Consumption and Reason: The Planning of Needs

A pillar of the socialist economic system was the concept that needs, and
hence production, could be systematically planned out.
Result would be concisely planned production, allowing for minimal wasted
resources (Output = development cost)
Price stability was the main criteria for demonstrating how the socialist
system was superior, it was determined that consumer need should be
scientifically quantified.
This led to the creation of the Institute of Needs Research, with key areas of
study being influence on production, and the education of needs

Consumption and Reason: The Planning of Needs

Questionnaires sought to guide consumer needs to be in line with socialist

living and consumer habits
Contrast to capitalist market research
Political pressure exerted on retailers regarding pricing, discouraging
competition and negating the influence of pricing on consumer decisions.
Sociological insights gained were more valuable (living standards across
classes, preferences of varied consumer groups, etc)
Showed how the people of the GDR really felt, ignoring ideology

Consumption and Reason: The Planning of Needs

Shift in questions from being primarily consumption based to lifestyle based,

a result of the utopian concept of socialist lifestyle
Consumer policy expressed via social policy (via distribution)
Production focused on longevity and standardization
Intent was to have personal distinction not stem from material wealth
(reducing prestige consumption)

Consumption and Reason: The Planning of Needs

1971 study from the Institute found that consumer habits and lifestyle only
change over a very long period of time, with socialist goals failing to
intertwine with the needs of society

Policymakers believed that this resistance was just lingering capitalistic

habits, and concluded that they needed to have a constant influence on the
development of consumer desire

The Charm of Everyday Life: Leitmotifs in Advertising

Until the 1970s there were lively and creative advertisements present in GDR
Competitive advertising wasnt present, and the rejection of free-shopping
culture caused some controversy and mixed opinions
Advertising helps create false needs, which was accepted in the West in
order to stimulate consumption
Socialist advertising sought to guide customer habits, telling their people
what is good for them

The Charm of Everyday Life: Leitmotifs in Advertising

The Ministry for Trade and Supply created a department focusing on

advertisements and the design of shop windows, desiring increased attention
for socialist economics
Wanted to advertise the effectiveness of the peoples economy opposed to
competing products
Was used as a tool to regulate the market, advertising goods in abundance
and deterring consumers from scarce goods
Used health propaganda as a tool

The Charm of Everyday Life: Leitmotifs in Advertising

In 1959, they started broadcasting advertisements via television

Advertising being used as political propaganda, to battle Western influence
A report in 1962 changed peoples perception, displaying how much money
was being wasted on ads with no clear payoff, portraying socialist advertising
as a waste
Advertising expenditures cut by 50%

The Charm of Everyday Life: Leitmotifs in Advertising

Advertisements meant to portray socialist lifestyle focused on positive

imagery, scenes of leisure, joyful workers, etc. A main critique of GDR
advertisers was their basis off of Western consumer imagery.

SED leaders came to see advertising as useless and even damaging

In 1975, the Council of Ministers essentially stopped most forms of

advertising

The Worker State

Life wholly defined by notion of the worker state

Mass production and standardization of goods

Synchronized workweek, specific gender roles and interfamilial structure

Abundance of non-varied products
Luxury items into the public sphere

In theory, this shift aligns with socialists ideals

Merkel: To what extent did this materialize in real world?

Demographics & Socioeconomics

Workers did not buy for luxury - modest income

Some groups outside of work process
Trendsetting margin searched for prestige

Not entirely disproportionate:

These groups had longest working hours along with
farmers

Mittelstandsgesellschaft - middle class society

Workers on lower end of income class

Huge income discrepancy by:

Geography, education, age, generation, gender

women 40% less free time than men did

Income Relations & Motivations

Everyones [Western] aunts generosity

Access to goods and services shifted from saved income to connections

Contradictory social effects -> de-differentiation vs. re-differentiation

Selbstgestaltung des Lebens - Self-design of life

Creativity, resourcefulness, individuality, under

limited choice

Self-actualization vs. esteem

Inspired not by social prestige, but by outlet for

expression

Contradictory Ideals

West German goods found their way over the Iron Curtain

Consumerism and underly psychology influenced by more than just isolated socialism

Capitalist aspirations
(material prosperity, social prestige, fashion)

vs.

Self-actualization ideals
(leisure time to develop individuality, genuine relationships)

Impossible Situation: socialist utopia combined with real-life capitalism

Dual failure: utopia never took hold while alienating dreams and ideals of public

Thank You!

Q&A