Orwell's 1984

1984 by George Orwell

Subject Matter:

1984 is a Dystopian fiction novel by Eric Arthur Blair better known by his pen name George Orwell. Orwell in the novel paints a mural of a society that has been through a political revolution (like most revolutions that were taking place in Europe and across the globe when the novel was written).  The political philosophy that the state champions is called Ingsoc. The state where the protagonist (Winston Smith) lives is called Oceania that is constantly at war with two other states Eastasia or Eurasia. Smith works in the Ministry of Truth, one of four ministries (Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Plenty, Ministry of Peace and Ministry of Love). 

Ironically, Ministry of Peace is responsible for War efforts, Ministry of Plenty never has plenty to go around, Ministry of Truth is responsible for manufacturing robust Lies and Ministry of Love enforces loyalty through fear.Orwell sees the world in three states. These three states constantly change alliances and are at war with each other all the time. Center of these states is the land where the war is being fought. No one state ever truly is in a state to besiege or conquer the others and the war that goes on is for the control of rest of territory which is never quite accomplished.

The protagonist, Smith, has committed a thought crime and is still working in the ministry of truth. Weary of the fact that the thought police may barge in at any moment and he may disappear forever he goes on working as usual trying not to look so suspicious. At the ministry he meets the other two main characters of the book (O'Brien and Julia).  He wants to meet O'Brien confess his thought crime in the hope that O'Brien is a member of the Brotherhood (a secret organization working against the party). He falls in a relationship with Julia (Love and emotions are restricted by the party and hence a crime) but later both of them are caught by the Thought Police.

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Important Terminologies:

  1. Newspeak: Language used by the Party to cut out words that give rise to thought or the process of thought. It was the language designed to limit or diminish thought in the people. 
  2. Thought-Crime: To the Party in Oceania, every crime has at its back a thought. And any thought against the party believes is a Thought-Crime. To question party policies or a thought in contrast to them was termed as thoughtcrime.
  3. Double think: The process of holding two contrary believes at once os called Doublethink. As Orwell writes in his book that if the party says 2+2= 5 then it is 2+2= 5 even when a person knows it is 4.
  4. Ingsoc: A term for English Socialism. The political narrative followed and championed by The Party in Oceania. 

Thesis Statement:

        Simply put, Orwell in his work of fiction makes his predictions regarding the turn the world will take after World War II. He argues that the state is acquiring or accumulating power. Power, as per my understanding, to Orwell is coerce. Though it manifests its self in the garb of soft power but is crudely practiced. The state controls what is truth and how it does that is by manufacturing what was and what is. He argues that what the people might think of as freedom is in fact the opposite. The state by addressing the innate (Basic) needs of the people has termed them as freedom. To the people once these needs are addressed, this is freedom rather the state is always in control of telling the people what these needs are.

        This power, as per Orwell, the state has acquired after the fall of Capitalism. Orwell sees capitalism as a system with flaws that is bound to collapse. Born in 1903, Orwell had fist hand witnessed The Great Depression, Two world Wars where in he saw the rise of Authoritative rules to power and their exercise of absolute and coarse authority. He saw that capitalism while being the flag bearer of competition and trade would eventually turn out as they say "one man's revolution is another man's tyranny." As capitalism favors those who have the authority to acquire by what ever means necessary, Orwell, saw capitalism turning into Despotism.

Disclaimer:

Image (1): https://steemit.com/story/@heroback/world-war-3-oceania-vs-eurasia-and-eastasia

Image (2): https://eloquentmadness.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/george-orwells-1984-moments-of-crisis/

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