Animal Farm

by George Orwell

Karl Marx•German political philosopher•Wrote The Communist Manifesto (1848)•Criticized capitalism: encourages competition between citizens but rewards are unequal•US, other world powers support capitalism (say that if you work harder, you earn the rewards)•US was seen as pushy in regards to capitalism• Did not support capitalistic ideals

Communism

•Aimed at lower working classes (wants to eliminate class distinctions)

•Collective ownership of industrial wealth•Violence during the revolution, but levels off after

restructuring of government•Theoretically not bigoted•Societies less advanced

Russia in Crisis• Russia was poor, unindustrialized, illiterate, and hungry• Russian government: czar dictated governmental policy

with no regard to the people; claimed to get power from God, chose own successor (so had absolute rule)

• During WWI, Russia lost money and land to the war effort; starvation and disease were rampant

• Royals not as affected

Russia in Crisis• 1914-1917: minor revolts

among the citizens (protests, labor strikes)• February 28, 1917: Czar

Nicholas II lost power to the people• For 8 months there was no

unified government (Provisional Government not effective)

Soviets

• “soviet” = “council”• During upheaval and

Provisional Government, soviets were controlled by Vladimir Lenin• Worked to win the support

of Russian troops• Took control of railroad and

telephone lines • In this way, they could

manipulate movement and communication throughout the country

Revolution

• Lenin aided by Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky• “Land, bread, and peace”• Promised to end Russia’s involvement in the

war• October 1917: Communists took control

(Marx’s predicted revolution)

Consequences of Revolution

• Land taken from owners• No private property• No hired labor

• Those who once had land and money but were forced to give it up began to campaign against the soviets• US and Great Britain were concerned about the

revolution, so they supported these campaigns

Taking Power

• In order to have peace in the face of opposition, Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky had to destroy those who opposed them• The Red Army led a terror campaign to root out

and execute anti-Communists; led by Trotsky• 1918-1921: civil war between communists and

their enemies• Communists were able to retain power

Lenin’s Death

• People began to wonder if the civil war and Lenin’s tactics went against the spirit of communism• Lenin died in 1922; Trotsky and Stalin both

wanted power

Leon Trotsky

• Brilliant speaker, writer, and visionary thinker• Wanted to make Russian

an industrial powerhouse• Gained many followers

through his charismatic speeches

Joseph Stalin

• Less of a dreamer, more administrative• Worked to create

loyalty within the soviets (more behind-the-scenes)• Since he had formed

these bonds with those in control he was able to take over (instead of Trotsky)• Ruled for 25 years

Stalin’s Rule and Trotsky

• Eventually had Trotsky expelled from the country and in 1940 had him assassinated in Mexico• Trotsky became the scapegoat and common

enemy (so anyone associated with him became an enemy)

Stalin’s Rule

• Stalin ruled through terror• KGB

• Russian internal police force• Used to spy on anyone Stalin suspected• Speaking against Stalin meant arrest or worse

• Purges

• Arrested high-ranking officials, forced them to make false confessions, and executed them

• Between 2 and 7 million people were killed in the purges, even more were imprisoned

Gulags

Prisons in outlying areas Used inmates as labor, deprived them of necessities

• Under Stalin’s rule, the Soviet Union became even more powerful and terrifying• Stalin died in 1953; some relief, but not much• People still highly monitored, spied on, unable to

protest• Highly repressive government until the mid-1980s

Allegory

• A story which stands for something else• 2 levels of meaning:

1. Surface level (Animal Farm is a story about animals)

2. Secondary level (animals stand for types of people and ideas)

• Fables