A unique blend of graphic design, bold art or photography and cunning psychology, election posters are an unsung art form, stretching back to the dawn of the twentieth century. Exploiting the Conservative Party Archive held at the Bodleian Library which contains over 700 posters, this book charts the evolution of the Conservatives' election posters. Divided into chapters along political periods, the book highlights the changing fashions in and attitudes to advertising, political ideology, slogans, combativeness and above all, propriety. Each chapter includes a brief introduction discussing the major themes of the period as well as captions explaining specific issues related to the individual posters. Lavishly illustrated, 'Dole Queues to Demons' gives a fascinating insight into the issues and strategies of the Conservative Party throughout the twentieth century, and up to the present day. A foreword by advertising guru Maurice Saatchi discusses the posters from a communication and design perspective. This book will fascinate anyone interested in social and political history and modern communications. Published at a time when the advent of new media threatens to herald the end of traditional forms of mass communication, this book takes a timely retrospective look at this enduring feature of the British electoral landscape.

About the Author
Stuart Ball is a Reader in Modern History at the University of Leicester. His research area is British political history during the twentieth century.

Reviews
'Dole Queues and Demons has instant impact. It's powerfully evocative and Stuart Ball is the surest of guides through the politico-emotional geography.' -- Professor Peter Hennessy
'These images are such fun ... spawned from the Conservative Party archives at the Bodleian Library [the book] offers a sumptuous selection of Tory propaganda covering more than a century of political warfare.' -- Michael Dobbs * The House Magazine *
'Fascinating, insightful, well-made.' -- Simon Gillon * Government Gazette *



Book Information
ISBN 9781851243532
Author Stuart Ball
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Bodleian Library
Publisher Bodleian Library
Weight(grams) 840g
Dimensions(mm) 250mm * 210mm * 14mm