Who controls the past controls the future.

Who controls the present controls the past.

1984Introduction and

Background

Orwell on the novel My recent novel is NOT intended as an attack on

Socialism or on the British Labour Party (of which I am a supporter) but as a show-up of the perversions to which a centralized economy is liable and which have already been partly realized in Communism and Fascism. I do not believe that the kind of society I describe necessarily will arrive, but I do believe (allowing of course for the fact that the book is a satire) that something resembling it could arrive. I believe that totalitarian ideas have taken root in the minds of intellectuals everywhere, and I have tried to draw these ideas out to their logical consequences. The scene of the book is laid in Britain in order to emphasize that the English-speaking races are not innately better than anyone else and that totalitarianism, if not fought against, could triumph anywhere.

George Orwell

George Orwell Born Eric Blair in 1903 in Motihari, Bengal His mother, Ida, brought him to England at

the age of one At age five, he was sent to a small private

school Two years later, he was recommended to

the headmaster of one of the most successful preparatory schools in England

After graduating, he received scholarships to both Wellington and Eton colleges

George Orwell After finishing his studies at Eton, he

joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma He resigned and returned to England in

1928 because he had grown to hate imperialism

He lived for several years in poverty, sometimes homeless

Worked briefly as a school teacher until his health forced him to resign

George Orwell Soon after the outbreak of the Spanish

Civil War, Orwell volunteered to fight against the uprising

He was shot in the neck in 1937 and returned to England

He began to support himself by working as a journalist

He died at the age of 46 of tuberculosis

Orwell’s pen name Eric Blair adopted the pen name George

Orwell to show his love of English tradition and the English countryside George – the patron saint of England Orwell – a river in Suffolk (one of Orwell’s

favorite places)

Orwell’s Writing During his life he was best known for his

journalism Also wrote 2 very famous books

Animal Farm – allegory of the corruption of socialist Stalinism

1984 – prophetic vision of the results of totalitarianism

Orwell’s Beliefs Orwell disliked communism and socialism

because he feared that they would result in totalitarianism

1984 is Orwell’s prediction of what could happen if the ideas of socialism spread and continued to develop

Socialism did not spread as Orwell feared; however, many of Orwell’s predictions have come true, especially in the United States

The Conditions Behind the Vision In 1946 when George Orwell began to imagine a

future world, he had just witnessed the defeat of two dictators – Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy

He had also witnessed the success of two other dictators – Francisco Franco in Spain and Josef Stalin in the former Soviet Union

He had also just lived through the most devastating war in history and seen its victors turn on each other in a tense cold war

Orwell’s vision of the future came from what he knew of the recent past

What is totalitarianism? State regulation of almost every aspect of public

and private behavior

True socialism or communism would never result in totalitarianism because there would be no government

Unfortunately, the leaders who called themselves communist at the time were not – Hitler, Stalin – their ideas were leading their countries toward totalitarianism

What is socialism? Socialism as a political movement was a

response to the consequences of industrialization

In socialism, property and the distribution of wealth are controlled by the community – either directly or through government control on behalf of the people

Socialism vs. Communism Socialism is a step towards Communism Socialism is when the proletariat (lower-

class/working-class) takes over, and forms a government ruled by the people

Communism is what happens when the government is gone completely

Big Brother is Watching YOU

The face of a man...with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features Pg 3, 1984

Background to Nineteen Eighty-Four

The world of Nineteen Eighty-Four is based upon two totalitarian dictatorships, Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany.

The world of Ingsoc (English socialism) bears strong resemblances to the Soviet Union, but much of the detail of the life comes from Germany.

EVER since I have been scrutinizing political events, I have taken a tremendous interest in propagandist activity. I saw that the Socialist-Marxist organizations mastered and applied this instrument with astounding skill. And I soon realized that the correct use of propaganda is a true art which has remained practically unknown to the bourgeois parties.

Nazi Germany

Mein Kampf by Adolf HitlerVolume One - A Reckoning

• Like Stalin, Adolph Hitler denied his subjects access to the truth. His Third Reich “can be read as a war against memory – an Orwellian falsification of reality...” (Primo Levi) Oceania conducts an unceasing war on memory-evidence that conflicts with the latest official line is systematically destroyed & a false trail is laid in its place.

•We do not intend to use the radio only for our partisan purposes. We want room for entertainment, popular arts, games, jokes and music. But everything should have a relationship to our day. Everything should include the theme of our great reconstructive work, or at least not stand in its way. Above all it is necessary to clearly centralize all radio activities, to place spiritual tasks ahead of technical ones, to introduce the leadership principle, to provide a clear worldview, and to present this worldview in flexible ways.

- Goebbels

Children of the revolution

In the Soviet Union,young people were encouraged to join the political group. They were called Young Pioneers (aged between 7-13) and later called Komsomols.

If you were a Komsomol member you got into university automatically, so there was great pressure to join.

Hitler Youth• "My teaching is hard. Weakness has to be

knocked out of them. In my Ordensburgen a youth will grow up before which the world will shrink back. A violently active dominating, intrepid, brutal youth - that is what I am after". Youth must be all those things. It must be indifferent to pain. There must be no weakness or tenderness in it. I want to see once more in its eyes the gleam of pride and independence of the beast of prey. "I will have no intellectual training. Knowledge is ruin to my young men.

Hitler youth flourished…

19841984

Things to think about – Discussion Things to think about – Discussion

Things to think about – discussion Things to think about – discussion

Individuality can be destroyed by a political Individuality can be destroyed by a political system.system.Do you believe this could be true? Explain?Do you believe this could be true? Explain?Who might believe this statement more Who might believe this statement more

readily than others?readily than others?

Things to think about – discussionThings to think about – discussion

Language is a powerful tool for controlling Language is a powerful tool for controlling how people view the world.how people view the world.How does language shape your view of How does language shape your view of

reality?reality?Do you think that a broader vocabulary would Do you think that a broader vocabulary would

increase or decrease your ability to increase or decrease your ability to understand the world you live in?understand the world you live in?

Things to think about – discussionThings to think about – discussion

A knowledge of the past is essential for A knowledge of the past is essential for evaluating the present.evaluating the present.What connections can exist between past and What connections can exist between past and

present events?present events? In what way does a knowledge of history help In what way does a knowledge of history help

you understand current events?you understand current events?

Things to think about – discussionThings to think about – discussion

People can be forced to give up their People can be forced to give up their beliefs and even alter their feelings if their beliefs and even alter their feelings if their survival is threatened.survival is threatened.What kind of beliefs or feelings might be the What kind of beliefs or feelings might be the

easiest to give up? Most difficult?easiest to give up? Most difficult?Do you have beliefs that you would not give Do you have beliefs that you would not give

up under any circumstances? Explain.up under any circumstances? Explain.