1984

A review of Orwell’s classic, 1984, and an analysis of its warnings about authoritarianism in the context contemporary politics.

Much has been said about George Orwell’s classic, 1984, as of late. This dystopian novel has recently shot to the top of the bestseller list in the current age of alternative facts and critical thought suppression. The book had been on my reading list for some time, so I thought I was due to dust it off the shelf. Many of the themes resonate with the current political environment we are experiencing in America today. Although disturbing, 1984 illustrates what a totalitarian America could resemble in the future if society is not careful about holding government accountable.

Similar to fascist and communist ideologies prevalent throughout the 20thcentury, the state of Oceania in 1984 has stripped almost all rights from individuals. Big Brother, the black-mustachio’d face of the party in power (Ingsoc) adorns every commanding corner of the country, reminding its citizens that “Big Brother is Watching You.” Ingsoc organized Oceania around three slogans:

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

Lurking in the shadows are the Thought Police, who act as the state’s gestapo or secret police. They help enforce totalitarian controls like Newspeak, the state’s official language, and Doublethink, the act of simultaneously holding two opposite exclusive ideas or opinions and believing them both absolutely and concurrently. The party’s slogans are perfect examples of Doublethink, as are Oceania’s four ministries of government: “the Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, and the fine arts; the Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war; the Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order; and the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs.”

Should you question the acts of any of these ministries, or any principle or belief of Ingsoc for that matter, Big Brother will probably find you guilty of “Thought Crime.” Citizens at all times must adhere to the ideologically purified dialect of the party. Otherwise, they may receive a visit from the Thought Police, and may…