About the book
Eli Rubin takes an innovative approach to consumer culture to explore questions of political consensus and consent and the impact of ideology on everyday life in the former East Germany. Synthetic Socialism explores the history of East Germany through the production and use of a deceptively simple material: plastic. Rubin investigates the connections between the communist government, its Bauhaus-influenced designers, its retooled postwar chemical industry, and its general consumer population. He argues that East Germany was neither a totalitarian state nor a niche society but rather a society shaped by the confluence of unique economic and political circumstances interacting with the concerns of ordinary citizens.
To East Germans, Rubin says, plastic was a high-technology material, a symbol of socialism’s scientific and economic superiority over capitalism. Most of all, the state and its designers argued, plastic goods were of a particularly special quality, not to be thrown away like products of the wasteful West. Rubin demonstrates that this argument was accepted by the mainstream of East German society, for whom the modern, socialist dimension of a plastics-based everyday life had a deep resonance.
Editions of Synthetic Socialism
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807832387
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469615103
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469606774
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890882660
Read an Excerpt
Eli Rubin takes an innovative approach to consumer culture to explore questions of political consensus and consent and the impact of ideology on everyday life in the former East Germany. Synthetic Socialism explores the history of East Germany through the production and use of a deceptively simple material: plastic. Rubin investigates the connections between the communist government, its Bauhaus-influenced designers, its retooled postwar chemical industry, and its general consumer population. He argues that East Germany was neither a totalitarian state nor a niche society but rather a society shaped by the confluence of unique economic and political circumstances interacting with the concerns of ordinary citizens.
To East Germans, Rubin says, plastic was a high-technology material, a symbol of socialism’s scientific and economic superiority over capitalism. Most of all, the state and its designers argued, plastic goods were of a particularly special quality, not to be thrown away like products of the wasteful West. Rubin demonstrates that this argument was accepted by the mainstream of East German society, for whom the modern, socialist dimension of a plastics-based everyday life had a deep resonance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Synthetic Socialism about?
Eli Rubin takes an innovative approach to consumer culture to explore questions of political consensus and consent and the impact of ideology on everyday life in the former East Germany. Synthetic Socialism explores the history of East Germany through the production and use of a deceptively simple material: plastic. Rubin investigates the connections between the communist government, its Bauhaus-influenced designers, its retooled postwar chemical industry, and its general consumer population. He argues that East Germany was neither a totalitarian state nor a niche society but rather a society shaped by the confluence of unique economic and political circumstances interacting with the concerns of ordinary citizens.
To East Germans, Rubin says, plastic was a high-technology material, a symbol of socialism’s scientific and economic superiority over capitalism. Most of all, the state and its designers argued, plastic goods were of a particularly special quality, not to be thrown away like products of the wasteful West. Rubin demonstrates that this argument was accepted by the mainstream of East German society, for whom the modern, socialist dimension of a plastics-based everyday life had a deep resonance.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Synthetic Socialism?
History and Archaeology > History > European history
Where can I read a sample of Synthetic Socialism?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807832387
How long is Synthetic Socialism and how many pages does it have?
Synthetic Socialism has 304 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Synthetic Socialism?
Eli Rubin
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Synthetic Socialism is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807832387) and paperback(ISBN 9781469615103) and ebook(ISBN 9781469606774) and ebook(ISBN 9798890882660)
Where can I buy Synthetic Socialism online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Synthetic Socialism from below
Where can I buy Synthetic Socialism?