Essay On 1984 Totalitarianism

Totalitarian governments control every aspect of a citizen's life. The totalitarian government in 1984 by George Orwell is similar to governments in today's society, like North Korea. Both control citizens by dumbing them down, executing the ones who disobey, and having every move planned. In the early 1920s, Benito Mussolini coined the term totalitario. “Totalitarianism, form of government that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individual's life to the authority of the government.” Mussolini described totalitarianism as “All within the state, none outside the state, none against the state.” (“Totalitarianism”). Individuals in a totalitarian state cannot claim any freedom of speech, thought or writing. Strict censorship is expressed over the press, publication of books, radio and television, theatre, arts, etc. The people live by guidelines put out by the government. (Mondal) Winston, the main character in 1984, notices that the government has full control over a group of people called the proles, and he knows that “Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and after they have rebelled they cannot
become conscious.” (Orwell 6). Without rebelling, they will continue to be unconscious and controlled completely by the government. Violence in a very large scale becomes permissible and can sometimes be necessary under totalitarian rule.
This is justified by the overriding commitment to the state ideology and the pursuit of the state's goal. In Nazi Germany the Nazis single out whole classes of people like the Jews and Sulaks. (“Totalitarianism”) The way the proles are always getting bombed in 1984 is similar to Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein. Iraq was an example of a totalitarian state. Human rights organizations reported that hundreds of thousands of civilian executions occurred during Sadeem's ruling. In 1984 it was easy for the government to execute someone and forgot they never existed. Winston does notice that the party has done something to Syme, which he knew what would happen all along. “It was enough. Syme had ceased to exist: he had never existed.” (Orwell
123). The force of propaganda is so drilled and disciplined into the people of a totalitarian state that they are prepared to do whatever the dictator will tell them to do. (Mondal) With propaganda, influencing a totalitarian society the way government wants makes easy for them to control the people. In 1984 telescreens are in the homes of every citizen, being monitored at all times by the thought police. A telescreen “received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a low whisper would be picked up...” (Orwell 6). Today in North Korea the citizens have zero contact with the outside world and can only know what the government wants them to know or think they know. The relevance of dumbing down the citizens, executing them, and planning their life in a totalitarian government was all a part of George Orwell's warning. A warning to stop governments, but it seems like more and more governments are showing characteristics of a totalitarian government. For one example the United States of America having the ability to spy on every phone call using the NSA. With the government having such capabilities one may feel that the privacy of our citizens is being infringed upon. Big Brother is watching.