Editorial cartoon
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[[Image:Lincoln and Johnsond.jpg|right|thumb|300px|An editorial cartoon of [[Andrew Johnson]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]], 1865, entitled "The Rail Splitter At Work Repairing the Union." The caption reads (Johnson): ''Take it quietly Uncle Abe and I will draw it closwer than ever.'' (Lincoln): ''A few more stitches Andy and the good old Union will be mended.'']]
An '''editorial cartoon''', also known as a '''political cartoon''', is an illustration or [[comic strip]] containing a [[politics|political]] or [[social]] message, that usually relates to current events or personalities.
==Modern political cartoons==
Editorial cartoons can usually be found on the [[editorial page]] of most [[newspaper]]s, although a few, like [[Garry Trudeau]]'s [[Doonesbury]] are sometimes found on the regular [[comic strip|comics]] page. Recently, many radical or minority issue editorial cartoonists who would previously have been obscure have found large audiences on the [[Internet]].
Editorial cartoons can be very diverse, but there is a certain established style among most of them. Most use visual metaphors and caricatures to explain complicated political situations, and thus sum up a current event with a humorous or emotional picture. Their purpose is to bring across a message to people and try to make the people think the same way. In modern political cartooning two styles have begun to emerger. The traditional style, involving visual metaphors is described as the 'nasti' style (named after [[Thomas Nast]]), and the more text heavy 'alti' style that tells a linear story, usually in comic strip format{{Or|article|date=October 2007}}. Although their style, technique or viewpoints may differ, editorial cartoonists draw attention to important social and political issues.
Although most western editorial cartoonists by necessity occupy the middle political ground, this is by no means true of all cartoonists and there is a spectrum of political commentary in cartoons which runs from the extreme right through the centre to the extreme left. Diverse religious and cultural ideologies and reactions to them are also represented and can produce work that affects the reader.
==History of political cartoons==
[[Image:joinordie.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Join, or Die]] by [[Benjamin Franklin]] was originally written for the [[French and Indian War]] on the [[Pennsylvania Gazette (newspaper)|Pennsylvania Gazette]], but was later recycled during the [[Revolutionary War]] and [[American Civil War|Civil War]]]]
Beginning in the 1720s, [[William Hogarth]] produced many satirical works which were widely circulated. [[Benjamin Franklin]]'s [[Join or Die]] (1754) supported the [[French and Indian War]] and was later recycled for the [[Revolutionary War]]. In 1799, Francisco [[Goya]] created a series of etchings called ''los Caprichos'' intended to make political statements about the issues of the day, related to his later series depicting the disasters of war. Both made humorous comment on the trends and current events of his time.
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Political cartoons were common during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]], mainly as [[propaganda]] for various countries' war efforts. In the US, Great Britain, and Canada, anti-Japanese and -German works were common, while in those countries, the opposite was so. At this time there were also some [[pacifist]]s in various countries who produced political cartoons. In the United States, during and since the [[Vietnam war]], many political cartoonists were published in [[underground newspapers]], comic books, pamphlets, and [[zines]].
Over the years, some common metaphors and symbols have been repeatedly used by many different cartoonists. Examples include the use of [[Uncle Sam]] to represent the United States, [[John Bull]], [[Britannia]] or a lion to represent the United Kingdom, a beaver to represent Canada, a bear to represent Russia, a dragon to represent China, and so forth. Some symbols have become entrenched in modern culture, such as a "[[capitalism |capitalist]]" being represented in a [[top hat]], which can still be seen on modern [[Monopoly game]]s.
Politicians are sometimes not able to separate themselves from the characters cartoonists create, especially if many cartoonists use similar elements. [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Joe Clark]] are prime examples of this phenomenon.
==See also==
*[[Editorial cartoonist]]
*[[Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning]]
*[[List of editorial cartoonists]]
*[[Animated political cartoons]]
*[[Attitude: The New Subversive Cartoonists]]
*[[Center for the Study of Political Graphics]]
*[[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy]]
*[[Graphics]]
*[[Join or Die]]
==External links==
*[http://www.editorialcartoonists.com/ American Association of Editorial Cartoonists] Political cartoons by the members of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists
*[http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ About.com: Political Cartoons] Comprehensive guide to political editorial cartoons on the Web
*[http://www.weberberg.de/skool/cartoons.html Using editorial cartoons in the classroom] Sources, analysis, interpretation (mostly English with some German)
*[http://www.gettysburg.edu/library/gettdigital/civil_war/civilwar.htm Gettysburg College Civil War Era Digital Collection] Contains over 300 Civil War Era political cartoons
*[http://www.dlfaquifer.org American Social History Online]
[[Category:Editorial cartooning| ]]
[[ja:政治漫画]]