Lions and tiger and bears were the least of Dorothy’s worries. Little did she know, she was at the center of an economic tornado. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum. This popular children’s novel has also been turned into a 1902 stage play and the ever-adored 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. Baum’s story chronicles a young Kansas girl named Dorothy as she is swept away by a tornado and brought to the magical land of Oz. All while attempting to make her way back home, she encounters many strange characters. Witches of all varieties, munchkins, flying monkeys, a scarecrow, a tin man, a lion, and the leader of the Emerald City the Wizard of Oz.
As a children’s story Baum’s novel portrays all of the politically correct themes: manners, the importance of intelligence, love for your fellow man, and having the courage to do what is right. But is this the full meaning of the story? Could there be underlying socioeconomic and political messages set to depict the bimetallism debate of the late 19th century. Bimetallism refers to a monetary unit that equates its value based upon measured amounts on either gold or silver, differing from a simple gold standard. This hidden theme was not even a consideration until a young high school teacher, Henry Littlefield, wrote an article for the American Quarterly entitled “The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism.”
The story line traces similar themes as the bimetallism movement toward a silver standard to coincide with the gold standard already in place. Our protagonist, Dorothy, will represent the American public. A young, naïve Kansas-born girl who, like the general public of the time, knew very little of what was really going on in her country, was caught in a tornado. The tornado represents the assumed political revolution, which would transform our plain country into a bold, lively, more colorful one of the future.
When Dorothy lands in Oz she receives silver slippers, ruby colored in the film version, which are representative of the hopeful silver standard and the sixteen to one gold/silver ratio. Dorothy is in search of answers and after direction from her newfound dominative friends the munchkins, the faithful followers of the gold standard, continues down the yellow brick road. The connection between the gold standard and the yellow bricks is juvenile yet serves as the perfect metaphor for the accepted way.
Throughout her travels, Dorothy encounters many evils, namely the wicked witches of the east and west. These sisters are representative of the wealthy bankers of the east and the oil and railroad tycoons of the west. Both of who being opposed to the populist movement of bimetallism, which would devalue the American dollar and in turn all of their investments. However, Dorothy also met the other two witch sisters, the good witches of the north and south. Signifying the coalition of southern farmers and the industrial workers of the north, the good witches attempt to lend aid to Dorothy’s adventure down the yellow brick road.
Dorothy continues to meet more friends along the road, including a scarecrow, tin man, and a lion; farm land workers, dehumanized industrial workers, and William Jennings Bryan respectively. This representation shows the overall view of the labor workers of the time. Farm hands were perceived to be less intelligent, no brain, and industrial workers were seen to only care for work, no heart. Mr. Bryan, our lion, was a predominant Populist leader and figurehead of the silverite movement. The scarecrow, tin man, and lion join our hero on her journey to the Emerald City because they too are in search of answers. This is indicative of the growing support among the labor class of the bimetallism movement.
Finally we reach the Emerald City, which symbolizes greenback paper money used as currency. This monetary unit had no actual value without the backing of gold and eventually silver, shown clearly though the deception and secretive nature of the entire city. Dorothy and friends must enter through a locked door and pass a guard in order to talk to the wizard. The wizard, most likely representing the President of the United States is said to have all the answers and is seen as a larger than life character that can fix anything that may go wrong. However after pulling back the curtain, it is revealed that his is no more than a regular man operating all of the previously seen pageantries like a puppet master controlling his puppets.
Perhaps the most telling allegory of all might just be the most simple. The title, The Wizard of Oz, gives us the entire story. Oz is also the shorthand abbreviation for ounce, the weight measurement most commonly used for gold and silver. Coincidence or otherwise, the direct connection is clear and may have had more to do with echoing the socioeconomic views of the 19th century.
-E. G. B.
