Animalism in Animal Farm
A thoughtful student contributed this essay so that it might help other students.
George Orwell’s classic, Animal Farm is about a group of oppressed animals on Manor Farm. The book takes the reader through the revolution of the animals. It tells of how the animals form a system of government, Animalism, on their new farm, Animal Farm. The animals try to form a government where everyone is dependent upon everyone else. The book conveys the message that no matter what laws and equality bind the citizens, corruption and power will seek to destroy that delicate balance. I believe that there is a similarity between the fictional Animalism, and the early form of Communism, called Marxism. In this essay, I will describe the main idea behind and similarities between Animalism and Marxism.
Karl Marx was born in the year 1818. He studied several different forms of government, searching for the key elements in their structures, including feudalism of medieval Europe, and capitalism. He fused the backbones of these two forms of government, and gave birth to early communism, which we call Marxism. The idea of Marxism is very complex. Stated as briefly as possible, it is the idea that the economy depends upon the production of the country. If all social classes are dropped, and very person instead works for rations, then there is no need for a large group of political leaders, for the country will basically be self-sufficient. Marx saw that the transition from capitalism to communism would occur after a revolution and require the brief rule of a dictator. After the government was established and underway, there would be no need for the dictator, and he would ultimately be overruled by the people.
Animalism was brought about be the revolution of the animals on Manor Farm. As the pigs, the smartest animals on the farm, began establishing basic rules and needs, they in essence formed their own government on the farm. The pigs named this government Animalism. It basically meant that the animals would be in charge of working the fields, making necessary things, and feeding themselves. The pigs took control of the situation from the get go. They put them selves in charge and made the 7 commandments. These laws were the keys to keeping the animals under the pigs' control. The pigs became corrupt, though, and instead of forming the ideal animalism government, the pigs dismissed all former rules, becoming tyrants.
There are several relations between animalism and Marxism. The first similarity is the base of the economy. Both are formed upon the belief that if everyone works, and rations are given equally, then there is no need for money and social class. Another similarity is the way that the government started. Both animalism and Marxism started after a revolution from the middle class majority of residents. The majority of the farm was made up of the animals on the farm. A final similarity between animalism and Marxism is the fact that well-respected men (or pigs) thought of both. Old major, a well-respected pig, brought about the idea for animalism after having a dream about it. Karl Marx was the soul creator of the idea for Marxism, hence the name. George Orwell actually made the book Animal Farm to show that systems of government such as communism, socialism, and Marxism would begin as governments that brought equality, but that corruption in leadership would bring about oppression. In essence, the book Animal Farm was written about Marxism.
I think that Orwell does an excellent job of describing the oppression caused by Marxism and communism. The book was written by Orwell to make such tyranny known to the public. As I have demonstrated, the similarities between the two governments are uncanny. This book shows that only true democracy can bring about the equality of people's worth. Though there are still social classes, every human being counts as one vote, and only one. There is no oppression by the government, because the people elect their government officials. Orwell clearly states what he thinks of Marxists in his final line of Animal Farm: "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."1
1 chapter10 of George Orwell's novel Animal Farm pg. 140
Bibliography
1. Andrews, William G., The Land and the People of the Soviet Union, "Marxism", Pg.6-8, Harper Collins Publishers, NYC, 1991
2. Laqueur, Walter, Stalin; The Galnost Revelations, Charles Scribner's Sons Macmillan Publishing Company, NYC, 1990
3. Unger, Howard, "Animalism vs. Marxism", www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2074/orwell.htm
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