In 1890, Judge magazine imagined the Republican Party as an unstoppable force of “progress,” crushing obstacles and dismissing all opposition as mere obstruction. Seen from the vantage point of today, the irony is impossible to miss. The cartoon tells us more about political mythology than political reality. Then as now, powerful parties love to portray themselves as the righteous engine of history — even when their real movement leads somewhere far darker. What gets branded as “moving forward” often means rolling over anyone who stands in the way of concentrated power. Looking at this image today, the warning is clear: authoritarian drift always masks itself as momentum. It never calls itself what it is.
Vintage satire repurposed for a modern truth: progress isn’t measured by who shouts the loudest, but by who protects democracy instead of trampling it.
In 1890, Judge magazine imagined the Republican Party as an unstoppable force of “progress,” crushing obstacles and dismissing all opposition as mere obstruction. Seen from the vantage point of today, the irony is impossible to miss. The cartoon tells us more about political mythology than political reality. Then as now, powerful parties love to portray themselves as the righteous engine of history — even when their real movement leads somewhere far darker. What gets branded as “moving forward” often means rolling over anyone who stands in the way of concentrated power. Looking at this image today, the warning is clear: authoritarian drift always masks itself as momentum. It never calls itself what it is.
Vintage satire repurposed for a modern truth: progress isn’t measured by who shouts the loudest, but by who protects democracy instead of trampling it.
Image 1 of 5
Image 2 of 5
Image 3 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Image 5 of 5