On the validity of comparisons, Russo-British relations, and history

I feel sort of funny using new media to post photos of old media, but this book - bought in the book-buying binge attending the closure of a nearby used bookstore - is too good not to share.

Often in debates over at Sean's Russia Blog, commenters (one in particular) will begin to address criticisms of Russia by criticising other countries and finding that Russia compares favorably or that there is an injustice in criticizing Russia while failing to criticize the other countries mentioned. Sometimes this is relevant - often, it's not. Anyway, this book - Two Commonwealths, by K.E. Holme - published back in 1945 when the Allies were still all friends, shows the extent to which agenda-driven comparisons can be taken. It's also interesting in light of the recent tensions in the Russo-British relationship, although of course it's nothing new that the Allies - US & USSR included - all published "friendly" materials about their soon-to-be Cold-War foes.

Two Commonwealths can be yours on abebooks (see link above) for $30-50, but in the miracle of this going-out-of-business sale I got it for $5 - and my copy included some bookseller's pencil notation on the first page (where the price goes): "A regular Grimm's fairytale." Indeed.

Check out the cool skyline graphics, and the other books in the series (on the back inside flap of the dust jacket) - especially Volume III, which is to be titled How Do You Do, Tovarish? (it was actually published in 1947) and promises to be

A description of daily life, work, and leisure. There are at least two very significant things which the Russian and the British people have in common. They are a warm human sympathy for the oppressed and the unfortunate, and a passionate love of
freedom.

These two photos equate "local government in the Gold Coast" with "local government in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic." The first paragraph of text reads as follows:

Since 1917 Russia has been trying to cram into one generation political changes which have taken three hundred years in Great Britain, and economic changes which have occupied the best part of two centuries.

Translation: they may be backward, but at least they're trying real hard! And the direct comparison of the "two commonwealths'" policies toward their respective subject peoples is relevant to portions of this recent SRB discussion.

Photo captions:

"Indian contingent at the Coronation of H.M. King George VI. The British Commonwealth is united by the allegiance of all its members to the Crown."

"Parade on the twenty-first anniversary of the October Revolution, which ended Russian domination over the formerly subject peoples. Now they all serve in the Red Army."

And the visuals created by the Isotype Institute (credited on the book's front cover above - apparently this institute was a design innovator) are priceless and require no commentary - just click on the images to see them expanded: