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According to the Feigelsonian Theory of Smurfian Communism in the
Post-War Era, the Smurfs television show was created as part of a
Soviet plot to brainwash the children of the free world, as part of the
USSR long-range strategy for world domination. To wit:
1) Note that all the Smurfs look exactly the same (with the exception of Papa Smurf--see below). They are all blue-skinned and have white hats and white tails. This reflects the classless society Marxist theory proposes, in which all men and women are comrades.
2) Note which Smurfs are focused on: Hefty, the soldier and Handy, the worker. Note which Smurfs are portrayed negatively: Greedy, who simply eats all the time; Vanity, who contributes nothing to the society and is lost in his own Narcissism; and particularly Brainy (a thinly-veiled caricature of Trotsky), who thinks too much for himself and undermines the Smurf state. He is repeatedly thrown out of the colony (Trotsky, of course, was assassinated in Mexico).
3) Papa Smurf is the only Smurf who wears any clothing other than the standard-issue white uniform. Instead his outfit is RED. (Need we say more?) Furthermore, Papa Smurf's unique facial hair is clearly meant to conjure up images of Lenin and Stalin.
4) Note the prime enemy of the Smurfs: Gargamel, and his cat Asreael. There can be no doubt that this villain/sidekick duo are to represent the Jews, who were persecuted under Soviet rule.
5) You may attempt to challenge this theory with the claim that the mid-1980s introduction of the younger generation of Smurfs was an attempt at Americanization. Conversely, I submit that this addition occurred just as Perestroika and Glastnost took hold in the Soviet Union, and that openness was reflected in the addition of new characters.
Luckily, of course, the United States was able to win the Cold War, and the communist message of the Smurfs has gone by the wayside. Of particular contribution in defeating this threat were such shows as GI Joe (a real American hero, GI Joe is there) and Superfriends (a flag-waving show if ever there was one).
And so you now have before you conclusive proof of the Soviet plot to indoctrinate American youth in the 1980s. Call Oliver Stone for further details.
With nothing better to do,
Josh Feigelson
School of Wasted Brainpower,
Yale University