Judge — August 1937 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Revolt of the Upper Classes: The Up-Flare!" This Judge cartoon satirizes class conflict and social upheaval, likely from the early 20th century. The title's pun "Up-Flare" suggests an uprising or explosion among the wealthy elite ("upper classes"). The illustration depicts chaos in what appears to be an upscale urban setting: well-dressed figures with top hats flee, fight, and climb buildings while ordinary people (some appearing to be workers or revolutionaries) swarm through the streets below, some carrying flags or weapons. The juxtaposition suggests satirical commentary on fears of revolution or class warfare—mocking either the upper classes' paranoia about their safety or the actual threat of organized labor movements and socialist agitation popular in this era. The cartoon's humor lies in depicting the privileged literally driven upward by social unrest.