The Parallels Between Animal Farm and Soviet History

The Parallels Between Animal Farm and Soviet History

Prior to writing Animal Farm, George Orwell had stated: "History

consists of a series of swindles, in which the masses are first lured

into revolt by the promise of Utopia, and then, when they have done

their job, enslaved over again as new masters" Together this statement

and Soviet History provided a basis for a political allegory which is

depicted through Animals and tells of the tribulations which surround

certain political ideals. In many ways, the story parallels to an era

of soviet history from the revolution in 1917 to the Teheran

Conference in 1943.

When many critiques review this book they fail to realize how each

significant detail parallels to an entity in soviet history. The

story, Animal Farm, begins with a speech by Old Major. Old Major

believes that 'man' is taking from the 'working' animals and he feels

that the animals should unite and commence a rebellion to overthrow

man. Similarly, Major's speech is an accurate account of Marxism and

it is very similar to the last paragraph of the Communist Manifesto

(1848):

The communists openly declare that their ends can be attained only by

the forcible over throw of all existing social conditions. Let the

ruling classes tremble at the Communistic revolution. The proletarians

have nothing to lose but their chains; They have a world to win.

WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!

After the Animals had overtaken the farm and the Animal Farm was

established, "Everyone worked according to his capacity," (pg 27,

Orwell). The similarities between Russia and Animal farm are well

noted here, "From each according to his abilities, to each according

to his needs"; were the words used by Marx in his c...

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...mal Farm is a brilliantly allegorized political tale and the

significance of the story becomes much clearer when compared to the

actual political history. It tells the story of Russian history but at

the same time it can be compared to other countries in their struggle

for power. The struggle is not restricted to governments but people as

well. Animal Farm is just simply about power in different political

ideals and what it does to those that yield it. Lord Acton once said

in a letter that: "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts

absolutely, good men are always bad men. George Orwell did an

excellent job in portraying this reality through the animals of Animal

Farm.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Orwell, George; Animal Farm (Great Britain: Martin Secker & Warburg,

1945

Meyers, Jeffrey; A reader's guide to George Orwell (London: Thomas &

Hudson, 1975)