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George Orwell’s 1945 classic Animal Farm, beyond its established narrative of challenging or mocking the then-communist regime, serves as a blueprint for any totalitarian regime at any stage in history and any unit of power structure — family, work, State, or otherwise. Orwell takes inspiration from his life experiences and the political situation of the period to write Animal Farm. Upon closer examination, one can identify the themes common to all totalitarian establishments, and thus in Animal Farm.
From Mr. Jones, who uses his whip to control the animals, to Napoleon, who uses his dogs to silence his fellow animals, the monopolisation of power is the central theme. Once in power, attempts to monopolise have been a universal feature of all totalitarian regimes. Any ideology, be it political, religious, or any other ‘ism’, driven by exclusiveness where only ‘we’ are right and anyone who isn’t ‘us’ needs to be dreaded and is an ‘enemy’, is extremist in approach. It leaves no scope for discussions or debates, for those who aren’t ‘us’ become natural enemies and are branded as terrorists or anti-nationalist or their respective relevant synonyms without scrutiny at the first inkling of dissent. A totalitarian regime achieves this ideological placement systematically through institutional mechanisms in matters of State.
Napoleon’s Animal Farm was not any different. Authority is systematically established and enforced through common yet effective tools such as propaganda, scapegoating, fear, symbolism, and distortion. Propaganda is the art of systematically shaping information and opinions and disseminating these ideas to the masses. The characteristic of propaganda is that when we hear the same lie again and again, we believe it to be true. Propaganda forms part of the novel and our lives as well. It is no wonder that Squealer, the pig who disseminates Napoleon’s propaganda, bears a resemblance to Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s chief propagandist. Squealer twists the truth and justifies Napoleon’s actions and monopolisation of resources. In real life, we can come across countless examples; we have to keep our ears and eyes open. Propaganda has become a more accessible tool in the hands of social media. Fake news has become unidentifiable, and echo chambers are tricky to recognise.
Scapegoating is a form of propaganda employed by Napoleon, who blamed Snowball for all the troubles and hardships. Not only did he discredit Snowball’s credibility, but he also managed to conceal his inadequacies and incompetence. Animals began to blame Snowball for their misfortunes and label him as the common enemy. History is full of totalitarian leaders who disguise their inability and blame a race, religion, creed, or linguistic group, and so on, for the adversities of the time, shifting the masses’ anger towards these groups of people. Orwell emphasises that ‘totalitarian propaganda can influence the opinions of even the most enlightened people in democratic countries’.
Napoleon is very sharp-witted; he knows how to generate fear amongst animals and use it to his advantage. The puppies were trained from birth to intimidate and terrorize other animals. Problematic animals, who protested or questioned him, were killed in front of others. Totalitarian leaders unleash terror on people who dissent, question, or threaten their existence and authority, and make no attempts to hide it. Methods vary, but their actions are meant to generate fear and serve as a warning.
Fear alone cannot control large groups for a long time; hence, symbolism becomes significant. Symbols help build an emotional connection and solidarity among a group of people. Disinterring Old Major’s skull to be worshipped, and replacing the song ‘Beasts of England’ with verses praising Napoleon as a protector and father figure, the game was full on. The Nazi swastika, one of the most famous ‘brands’ in the history of the world, is one such symbol. Gradually, the symbols and rituals attain a higher importance than in the pre-totalitarian era. Totalitarian regimes focus on reinforcing customs, practices, and traditions that have become irrelevant in the current times.
The subtle changes in the seven commandments over time are noteworthy. From ‘All animals are equal’ to ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’, the distortion of texts and narratives was effectively executed by Napoleon and his close aides. Texts and scriptures get interpreted differently at different times. Present-day victors tend to discard everything from the past that does not fit their current narrative, recording only what suits their agenda —a phenomenon more evident in totalitarian regimes. Orwell says, ‘He who controls the past controls the future’.
There are Napoleons, Snowballs, Squealers, Boxers, and Benjamins around and amongst us. A totalitarian regime, be it family, work, State, or otherwise, is not for anyone’s benefit. Read Animal Farm if you haven’t already, re-read if you have forgotten to read between the lines of your life.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.