'Robots' is the Communist Manifesto?

The film Robots critiques the American Dream as capitalist propaganda. The 'American Dream' is the false promise that no matter who you are or where you come from, you are free to achieve success in the U.S., regardless of any disadvantages one may face. It is an illusion sold to keep people working and generating wealth for the bourgeois at the oppressive expense of themselves, the worker. 'You can shine no matter what you're made of ' in Robots, is identical rhetoric.

The working-class protagonist Rodney (his father is a dish-washing machine) begins the film believing this mantra told by business owner, Big Weld. Big Weld Industries is a company of robot inventors and entrepreneurs that built Robot City with their creations, thus dominating the city's economy. Rodney works hard to achieve his dream of becoming an inventor and impressing Big Weld but he finds that a younger robot by the name of Ratchet has taken over the corporation. Rodney is met with the harsh truth that no matter how good his inventions are, Ratchet doesn't care to employ poor robots - only the shinier models, the members of the elite, the robots rich enough to afford Ratchet's expensive 'upgrades' (new parts).

All Images from Robots (2005), 20th Century Studios

Poorer robots that can't afford upgrades are swept up on the streets by 'sweepers' and ground into new parts - becoming the very same upgrades. Hence why they no longer have any access to second-hand spare parts to fix themselves with either. When Rodney begins fixing robots himself (for free) with his mechanic and inventor talents, this threatens Ratchet's business model and monopoly of the market in Robot City.

Ratchet's horrifically exploitative business model ensures the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We see that 'You can shine no matter what you're made of ' is a not only propaganda to keep the robots working but a sinister double entendre: the working robots do get to shine but only when they're murdered and made into recycled parts. Their bodies are completely commoditised. It represents the workforce in a capitalist human society as their bodies and minds are exploited in the cycle of production.

This plot of Robots intertwines other inevitable elements of Marxist theory that are causes as well as symptoms of a capitalist society:

Gentrification - The 'newer' models of robots and parts displace the older ones. This happens at the bottom of society but also the top - Ratchet replaces Big Weld. He then makes upgrades and profits the focus of Big Weld Industries rather than inventions, creativity, and ideas.

Nepotism - Ratchet's mother runs the 'Chop Shop', the secret workhouse where parts of poor robots are burned down and made into upgrades whilst her son runs the company that sells them. This portrays how the majority of capital is contained within the richest families of the wealthy classes.

Privatised healthcare - Robots rely on parts to fix themselves. When Big Weld Industries removes spare parts from the market, its expensive upgrades become the only available option 'to all'. Those with money can afford the healthcare necessary to live while the lower classes cannot, mirroring private healthcare structures in the human world. Rodney represents public healthcare because he says he'll fix 'everybody' for free, no 'insurance' needed. A darker, less-talked about parallel can also be drawn from the recycling of parts: if a person passes due to poor living conditions and no access to healthcare, they are indirectly killed by those in charge (i.e: the government/pharmaceutical companies) and more organs become available to those who can afford transplants.

Classism - This one is obvious but the film doesn't only criticise the classism inherent and fundamental in capitalist structures, it highlights classist attitudes of the individual partaking in prejudice, stereotyping, and hate speech. All of which help fuel the system of oppression. Ratchet goes on a tangent in front of his board about how he finds 'outmodes' - the poorer, older models of robots - disgusting and less worthy of living.

Rebellion? Up the Workers?

Led by Rodney, the robots overthrow Ratchet's system in Robot City. I don't think Karl Marx would call it a perfect example of rebellion as they seem to replace an 'evil capitalist' with a 'nice capitalist?' (Big Weld encourages working-robots' creativity and individualism), which of course is not really the idea of a communist revolt. Big Weld still profits off of the poor he's just more tolerant. However, this is a kids film so no one is expecting a full on bloody-cull of the bourgeoisie eat-the-rich style. The film still teaches some crucial steps in overthrowing oppressive powers though. For example, at least scenes enlisting Big Weld to Rodney's cause shows how lobbying those in power is a way to begin change. It also portrays the development of class-consciousness as important if an organised opposition against the elite-few is to be formed.

The Final Message...

The final message in Robots focusses on how individual freedom is a great thing. The robots are diverse in shape, colour, and anatomy because they build themselves up from whatever spare parts they like and reject the identical uniform upgrades that were being made. I guess this means Aunt Fanny's impractically fat ass was her choice and honestly good for her...

• The final message promotes ethical recycling methods too by embracing reusing resources and rejecting the pollutive burning of materials in the Chop Shop.

• The film very nearly develops some of its socialist themes further. Ending Robots on a note of individualistic freedom and identity challenges notions of all oppressive binaries including gender expression. An initially male-presenting character, Fender, opts for more 'feminine' parts. (Although there are still some typical early 2000s jokes about it that undercut an impression of progress here).

It truly is impressive how this kids film manages to critique capitalism and explore socialist themes whilst being very entertaining. I like to think watching Robots as a child subconsciously helped me understand Marxist theory when learning it later in school. It's good and deserves more praise.

For Comrade Rodney <3 xx