The Great Depression that lasted from 1929 to 1932 was not a peaceful time for the United States or European imperial power. This global economic crisis was largely caused by the enormous international debts that arose after World War I and the overproduction and under-demand of many products. This financial and industrial capitalism crisis led to global economic collapse and it seemed that capitalism had reached its end.
Charlie Chaplin (a famous figure in Hollywood as a “comic actress, filmmaker, composer” and “comic actor”) released Modern Times in 1936 to offer comfort to those who suffered during the Great Depression. He also criticized those who wanted a return to capitalism as it was before the war. Chaplin did not want to return to the old capitalism system, but wanted to make it better. Modern Times, which was made during the Great Depression is regarded as a first-hand source. Chaplin portrays industrial capitalism’s essence as exploitative. hierarchical, fast-paced.
Industrial capitalism had a psychological impact on workers. Workers were forced to work in environments where the pace was so fast that they reached their mental and physical limits. Modern Times shows the Tramp having a mild nervous breakdown, before he leaves to smoke in the bathroom. But when the supervisor yells and interrupts his break on screen, the Tramp returns to his work where his mental health steadily worsens. In high-efficiency working environments, where the goal is to maximize output from every employee, people such as the Tramp must work hard, no matter the cost. Chaplin’s portrayal of this scene shows how the industrial capitalists, such as the man at the control panel, ignore or fail to recognize the hardships faced by many workers under these conditions. Chaplin’s portrayal of the Great Depression exploitation and the impact that mass production had on workers was a powerful image. The factory was shut down in a film scene, and the workers all got laid off. He becomes ecstatic later when reading the paper and he finds out that the Factory has reopened. The Tramp, who is shown in the beginning having a nervous break down, becomes ecstatic when he reads that the factory has reopened.
The Tramp works multiple jobs throughout the film, but this is never enough for him to realize his dream. The Great Depression was a time when workers were expected to maximize output. However, it wasn’t enough for them maintain their economic and psychological well-being. Industrial capitalism also had a scientific management system that aimed to maximize output and efficiency in a short period of time. Industrial capitalism was based on scientific management, which meant that a fast paced environment would result in more output for those in charge. In the film, an assembly-line is used to show the factory’s daily routine, and the manager watches everything on a screen from his office. Assemblies were used to “minimize unnecessary movement” and increase productivity. In order to maintain a sense of reality, the person in charge must watch everything on screen. This is because he has not physically gotten up to witness the hard, grueling, and mentally-stressful work that the workers are doing. While he watches them, the man in charge first does a puzzle and then reads a newspaper before watching the screen. This is all entertainment. This is because the man in control has a voice and represents that workers did not have a say against the “hierarchy and management” and were ignored by their superiors.
During Great Depression, workers were alienated by capitalism as their superiors decided what to do and when. This eventually dehumanized all workers. Workers back then didn’t choose their own work. The scene depicting the factory laying off workers also illustrates the fact that workers are interchangeable, with their output always being replaced. Chaplin’s depiction, in which industrial capitalism is portrayed as scientific management, reflects the hierarchical nature of the work and its unfairness. Profits are what drive this system and workers have no influence. Industrial capitalism also had an international division where exports and imports were critical to a country’s economic success. A developed country might benefit from the importation of raw materials. However, not all citizens will. The Gamine, for example, steals bananas out of a barrel while on a boat. Importing items from the Southern Hemisphere was very common in the 20th century. Bananas were no exception. In the Great Depression period, bananas enjoyed a steady rise in popularity because many Americans considered them a brand new fruit. Those who couldn’t pay for the bananas or other imported items were left out. The industrial capitalist system of the time prevented those in society who could not afford to buy these goods from enjoying them. The Tramp also worked at the shipyard where the Gamine had stolen the bananas, but he let the unfinished vessel sail off into the sea on purpose. This scene shows the Tramp intentionally letting an unfinished ship sail away to sea. Other countries and even the United States could be affected by this, causing them to fall behind in their exports and imports. International trade was instrumental in causing the Great Depression, as it provided agricultural and industrial products to the developed world from the tropical underdeveloped nations. Chaplin highlighted how one individual can have a dramatic impact on the productivity of an entire unit.
The Great Depression imposed many physical, psychological, and economic burdens on the workers who were forced to endure the harsh industrial capitalism environment. Modern Times is Chaplin’s critique of mass production and consumption. The film was also used in movie theatres as a form entertainment for the masses. In addition to providing some light during the darkest times of these times, film was also made in order to reach out to those who desired to return to capitalism as it existed before World War II. Chaplin wanted to use philanthropy as a way to make capitalism better for all people and not just those in power. Chaplin intended to make the negative sides of industrialization humorous so they would resonate with the viewers in the hope that they will have a more positive future.
