The Power and Future of the Country Lies in the Unity of Industry and Science (1986) Soviet Propaganda Poster Mug
About the Poster
The Power and Future of the Country Lies in the Unity of Industry and Science (Russian: В единстве производства и науки — могущество и будущность страны!) is a 1986 Soviet propaganda poster by Dmitry Ikonnikov and Vladimir Chetverikov (Иконников Д., Четвериков В.).
At the top of the poster also reads the phrase, "Acceleration of scientific and technological progress is a requirement of life" (Russian: «Ускорение научно-технического прогресса - требование жизни»).
Following the Russian Revolution, Vladimir Lenin and the leaders of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of the Russian Empire cut a deal. In exchange for Academy members supporting the new Soviet state, the Academy would be left largely alone. So, at least at first, relatively few intellectuals in the scientific establishment were jailed, executed, or deported. Lenin needed Russian scientists' help in winning the Russian Civil War and keeping the USSR defended. Scientific advancement was also seen as crucial in reaching the Full Communism utopia the Bolsheviks were promising.
Scientific research and industrial development received substantial funding throughout the duration of the Soviet Union. Projects related to military research were particularly supported. Other areas, such as showpieces like the immense Dnieper hydroelectric dam of the first Five Year Plan and, of course, anything related to space were top government priorities.
By the 1980s, however, during a long period of stagnation, it was increasingly questioned whether prioritizing the scientific could deliver the lofty future Soviet leaders promised. Although the message seen in posters like this one were still prevalent across society, cracks were beginning to appear, most notably in a series of infamous manmade disasters.
In the 1980 Plesetsk launch pad disaster, a rocket carrying a satellite exploded well before its launch time, killing 48. An escalator malfunction in the Aviamotornaya Moscow metro station then killed at least 8 people in 1982. Tragically, in the 1984 Severomorsk Disaster at the Soviet Navy's Northern Fleet headquarters, an unexpected series of explosions killed 200-300 sailors. Later that year, a gas explosion in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, killed at least 100. And, of course, the awful Chernobyl Disaster - the worst nuclear accident in history - took place in 1986, the same year this beautiful poster was published.
Original Poster
Mug Quality
Whether you're drinking your morning coffee, evening tea, or something in between – this mug's for you! It's sturdy and glossy with a vivid print that'll withstand the microwave and dishwasher.
• Ceramic
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• White and glossy
