Fascism In Animal Farm

How does North Korea exist? How do governments steal complete power without their people noticing? How do citizens make sure this does not happen to them? Many authors have tried to answer these questions. Clearly, all-controlling governments are a fear and a fascination many people have. One of the most famous authors to look into this topic is George Orwell. Both of Orwell’s most famous books, 1984 and Animal Farm, are about fascist, all-powerful governments. Animal Farm, in particular, shows how dictatorships arise. George Orwell's Animal Farm shows how society can fall to fascism through ignorance, blind trust, and lack of history. The first way the animal's society fell was through ignorance. To be clear, simple ignorance is not the
This is the theme that screams through the pages of Animal Farm. Anyone just skimming the pages will find this monumental idea that Orwell’s works all proclaim; if you control the past, you control both the present and the future. This is exactly what the pigs do. In the beginning of the novel, they write down seven commandments to govern the farm. Over time, these rules change over and over until all is written is Orwell’s ubiquitous phrase, “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”(134). Changing history is also seen in Snowball’s ejection, various trades with farmers, and war medals being resent. Squealer the pigs changed history by convincing the other animals they had faulty memories. “Surely you remember that, comrades” he says when questioned about Snowballs wrongdoings (81). Without history, no society can learn from their mistakes. Without history, the present would be a skipping record, repeating the same phrase over and over. Knowing the past, citizens can elect officials and make laws they know will not add to a fascist governance. Sadly, the farm animals do not have this history. They distrust their own memories and minds, instead leaning on the government's fabrications. Distortion of history is the last step in the downfall of the Animal
What should a citizen do to avoid fascism? The first step is becoming literate. This does not just mean knowing how to read, it means understanding government through law and literature. The second step is to ask questions. Why are they in power? What law makes that happen? How can that be changed? The last step is to remember the past. Remember America’s Japanese concentration camps. Remember the way Germany slowly fell to hatred and dictatorship. Be active and do not let these mistakes happen again. George Orwell’s Animal Farm shows that fascism comes through ignorance, blind trust and erasing