How Napoleon Achieved and Maintained Power in George Orwell's Animal Farm

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How Napoleon Achieved and Maintained Power in George Orwell's Animal Farm

Napoleon was a pig in more than one sense. Words that you associate with pigs are not often pleasant. ‘Pig’ referring to one who is greedy and has more than their fair share; ‘pig headed’ refers to one who is extremely stubborn and thinks they are always right; ‘the pigs’ refer to police, or other figures of authority. Napoleon became dictator of Animal Farm merely due to the fact that he was a pig, and had the simplest of leadership skills. He maintained that power by propaganda and running the farm in a fascist, totalitarian manner. Violence, propaganda and the general ignorance of the other farm animals were major roles in keeping Napoleon in power.

Power naturally fell to the pigs not because they had earned it, or were the best for the job, but merely as a result of their social standing in the animal hierarchy.

‘‘The work of teaching and organizing the others fell naturally upon the pigs, which were generally recognised as being the cleverest of the animals’ (P.9). The pig, Old Major was considered the oldest and wisest animal on the farm. The other animals may have thought it natural for any other pig to be like him and follow his vision and ethics of Animalism. Whilst Napoleon assumed the role of leader of the revolution, he was only able to maintain this position because the other animals took it for granted that the decisions he made were the right ones.

To maintain this position...

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