What is socialism?
Socialism is a political and economic theory that advocates community involvement and ownership in the means of production, distribution and exchange of material goods (redletter.org, n.d). It contrasts with capitalism, where select groups of people profit solely for their own good. Socialism is regarded as a less extreme form of communism, although both are located on the left side of the political spectrum.
Socialism has existed in some form or another since antiquity; indeed, some claim that elements of socialism can be found in the works of Greek Philosophers Plato and Aristotle (Wikipedia, 2013). The first advocates of socialism believed in a meritocratic or technocratic society where scientific advancements would eradicate the disorderly and inefficient parts of capitalism.
Socialism has existed in some form or another since antiquity; indeed, some claim that elements of socialism can be found in the works of Greek Philosophers Plato and Aristotle (Wikipedia, 2013). The first advocates of socialism believed in a meritocratic or technocratic society where scientific advancements would eradicate the disorderly and inefficient parts of capitalism.
SOCIALISM IN ANIMAL FARM
Animal Farm is not so much a criticism of socialism and communism as a critique of the corruption of socialist ideals in the Soviet Union. Although Orwell was a lifelong socialist, he recognized that the totalitarian regime in Stalinist Russia was a perverse disfiguration of those ideals.
The metamorphosis of the mantra 'All animals are equal' into 'All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others' is one chilling example. Through the distortion of the original commandment, the viewer gets a terrifying view into the the way the revolution panned out. Although the rebellion was founded on lofty and noble ideas, Napoleon and the pigs eventually twist it into something corrupted and no better than the former regime as by the end of the novel, the pigs are unable to tell man and pig apart.
The constant changes in the Seven Commandments reveal the hypocrisy of the pigs as it becomes increasingly apparent that they are being changed for the benefit of the ruling class, as do Squealer's increasingly complicated justifications for the pigs' unethical and selfish actions.
At the end of the day, Orwell was not just criticizing the perversion of socialist ideals in the Soviet Union, as evidenced by his condemnations of the actions of the human beings (Frederick and Pilkington). Instead, Animal Farm serves as a grim reminder the ways in which power-hungry individuals can exercise complete and total control over a group of unsuspecting and ignorant individuals, irregardless of political system.
The metamorphosis of the mantra 'All animals are equal' into 'All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others' is one chilling example. Through the distortion of the original commandment, the viewer gets a terrifying view into the the way the revolution panned out. Although the rebellion was founded on lofty and noble ideas, Napoleon and the pigs eventually twist it into something corrupted and no better than the former regime as by the end of the novel, the pigs are unable to tell man and pig apart.
The constant changes in the Seven Commandments reveal the hypocrisy of the pigs as it becomes increasingly apparent that they are being changed for the benefit of the ruling class, as do Squealer's increasingly complicated justifications for the pigs' unethical and selfish actions.
At the end of the day, Orwell was not just criticizing the perversion of socialist ideals in the Soviet Union, as evidenced by his condemnations of the actions of the human beings (Frederick and Pilkington). Instead, Animal Farm serves as a grim reminder the ways in which power-hungry individuals can exercise complete and total control over a group of unsuspecting and ignorant individuals, irregardless of political system.
After much choking, during which his various chins turned purple, he managed to get it out: "If you have your lower animals to contend with," he said, "we have our lower classes!"