1984 Sociological Analysis

Can a civilization be founded based purely on hate, cruelty, and fear? Yes, it is possible. Looking at Orwell’s book, 1984, as well as historical, sociological, and sociopolitical evidence, it is conceivable for a civilization be founded based purely on hate, cruelty, and fear. Using these points and evidence, a civilization to be based solely on these attributes has occurred in 1984, historically, sociologically, and as well as in a sociopolitical environment.

In a historical perspective, a civilization like the one Winston explains is not a great feat. There are many civilizations and societies based on beliefs that mirror, but are not the same, to hate, cruelty, and fear. The first and best comparison to this is Nazi Germany. The whole
The most obvious example is that this society works in the first place. The majority of Oceania, 85% of the population, is proles. These people could care less about the politics of Oceania, or The Party, or Big Brother. They are happy minding their own business without being watched by Big Brother. In example, while Winston is plotting to overthrow the Party, he thought about the proles’ power in numbers; “If there was hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses, eighty-five percent of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated (40)". In Orwell’s book, The Party is doing the right thing: keeping military control over the masses of their party, and caring less about the overall population. Because of The Party’s overwhelming control over information, they can throw whatever information to this large majority of the population and the Proles will not question. O’Brien presents this fact to Winston using a form of torture. While torturing Winston, O’Brien explains “Sometimes, Winston. Sometimes they [two plus two] are five. Sometimes they are three. Sometimes they are all of them at once. You must try harder. It is not easy to become sane’ (145)”. O’Brien explains that The Party’s control over the population is so strong that they can even change people’s fundamental thinking process. As an example, two plus two equals five. The party could in fact do this, but it is an analogy for The Party’s control of information on its citizens. While facts like these are mind-bending for a state to become this powerful, their system is working. Winston’s society is alive. Their people are alive. They are given food. They are given resources and abilities. They have free will to some extent-- although in no society, at any point, do people truly have free will. The Proles