George Orwell’s 1984 and Stalin’s Russia

2134 Words5 Pages

In George Orwell’s 1984, the strategies used by Oceania’s Political Party to achieve total control over the population are similar to the ones employed by Joseph Stalin during his reign. Indeed, the tactics used by Oceania’s Party truly depicts the brutal totalitarian society of Stalin’s Russia. In making a connection between Stalin’s Russia and Big Brothers’ Oceania, each Political Party implements a psychological and physical manipulation over society by controlling the information and the language with the help of technology. Many features of Orwell's imaginary super-state Oceania are ironic translations from Stalin’s Russia. In Oceania, the Party mainly uses technology as the chief ingredient to implement a psychological manipulation over society by controlling the information they receive. An example of this is the big screen television set up in every person’s home, and the poster all over the city. The giant “telescreen” in every citizen’s room blasts a constant stream of propaganda designed to make the failures and short successes of the Party appear to be glorious. In Winston Smith’s apartment, this “instrument” is always on spouting propaganda and constantly brain washing the peoples’ mind. In actual fact, “It could [only be] dimmed… there [is] no way of shutting it off”. In doing this, the Political Party is in complete control over the citizens’ mind, blasting what they want each individual to think (Orwell, 6). They psychologically stimulate each individuals mind, limiting their ability to think and have a mind of their own. In a similar way, Stalin’s created “The Poster” and The Pravda (the Russian newspaper controlled by the government during Joseph Stalin's regime) to twist and manipulate the minds of people into believing that what they were saying was absolutely right and truth. Using this power, Stalin and his regime would get people to do anything for them. (Basgen, 2010) The creation of gigantic posters is one of the most psychological manipulating tactics used in Oceania and Russia with the enhancement and help of technology. In Oceania, one could find “A colored poster…with the face of a man… [Whose] eyes fallowed you about when you moved”. The caption in the poster says that “Big Brother Is Watching You” (Orwell, 5). In placing poster like these all over Oceania, people are constrained and restricted to their actions.... ... middle of paper ... ...ince and manipulate the way people act, think, and execute. Works Cited Basgen, Brian. Soviet History. Marxists.org 2010. Web. 21 May 2015. https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/index.htm "Critical Reception." Nineteen Eighty-Four: Past, Present, and Future. Patrick Reilly. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1989. 11-23. Twayne's Masterwork Studies 30. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 May 2015. Franklin, Simon and Emma Widdis, eds. National Identity in Russian Culture: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. Orwell, George. 1984. New York, NY: Published by Signet Classic, 1977. Print. Platt, Kevin M. F. and David Brandenberger, eds. Epic Revisionism: Russian History and Literature as Stalinist Propaganda. Madison: U of Wisconsin P, 2006. Internet Sources Consulted "George Orwell." Famous Authors. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. "George Orwell (1903-1950)." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 16 May 2015. Alder, Peter. "Stalin: Man of Steel." Prod. Guido Knopp. Dir. Oliver Halmburger. Perf. Ed Herrman. The History Channel, 2003. Videocassette. Youtube. 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 May 2015. .

Show More
Related

  • The Legacy of Russia and the Soviet Union - Authoritarian and Repressive Traditions that Refuse to

    1785 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tucker, Robert C. "Stalinism as Revolution from Above". Stalinism. Edited by Robert C. Tucker. New York: American Council of Learned Societies, 1999.

    Read More

  • Assess the impact of World War I on the Fall of the Romanov Dynasty

    968 Words  | 2 Pages

    Trotsky, L., 2014. The Overthrow of Tzarism and the Triumph of the Soviets. In: L. Trotsky, The Russian Revolution, 1st ed. Garden City, New York: Doubleday.

    Read More

  • The Use Of Propaganda In 1984, By George Orwell

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    “"Propaganda is as powerful as heroin, it surreptitiously dissolves all capacity to think” by Gil Courtemanche connects to the sad fact of using propaganda as a deadly weapon to feed people with false information and stop them from thinking. George Orwell’s novel, 1984, describes a totalitarian dystopian society where the Party is constantly brainwashing its citizens with information that is beneficial to its own rights. On the opposite side, people are working for the party just like dominated slaves for their masters without knowing what’s going on. But, in order for the party to achieve this goal, they have to use different techniques of propaganda in Oceania to create fear for people so that they can obey the rules. The use of propaganda in the society of 1984 takes away freedom from individuals because of the absence of privacy, thinking and making decisions.

    Read More

  • Lenin Laid the Foundation for Stalinism

    2439 Words  | 5 Pages

    As relations changed between Russia and the rest of the world, so did the main historical schools of thought. Following Stalins death, hostilities between the capitalist powers and the USSR, along with an increased awareness of the atrocities that were previously hidden and ignored, led to a split in the opinions of Soviet and Western Liberal historians. In Russia, he was seen, as Trotsky had always maintained, as a betrayer of the revolution, therefore as much distance as possible was placed between himself and Lenin in the schoolbooks of the 50s and early 60s in the USSR. These historians point to Stalin’s killing of fellow communists as a marked difference between himself and his predecessor. Trotsky himself remarked that ‘The present purge draws between Bolshevism and Stalinism… a whole river of blood’[1].

    Read More

  • Quotes On Deception In 1984

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deception and a blatant contradiction of facts in the spirit of impunity form the foundation of the construct of modern dictatorship and draconian governance. Leaders with this attitude treat the public office and nation as personal property and deploy the state resources at their disposal for selfish use. Their behavior takes the form of frivolous “surveillances, monitoring, and other control structures founded on lies and ambiguities” (Dean and Orwell 23). The same scenario is exactly what happens at Oceania. The nation is governed by the party headed by the big brother (“Gordon State College” n.p.).

    Read More

  • George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four

    1289 Words  | 3 Pages

    Having studied George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four', I intend to discuss the type of Government envisaged by Orwell and to what extent his totalitarian Party, 'Ingsoc', satirises past regimes. I will also discuss Orwell's motive in writing such a piece and how his writing style helps it become clear.The main theme of Nineteen Eighty-Four concerns the restrictions imposed on individual freedom by a totalitarian regime. Orwell shows how such a system can impose its will on the people through manipulation of the press, the elimination of democracy, constant supervision (courtesy of the Telescreens) and more. Orwell also shows how the state has more subtle methods for imposing its authority, such as the manipulation of language and control of the media.

    Read More

  • 1984 Government And Totalitarianism

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rather, it contends that when government is unrestrained in the form of totalitarianism, as exemplified by the Party of Oceania, it can by nature exist only to serve itself. This argument serves as Orwell’s warning against the dangers of totalitarianism; it is so corrupting a force that it can hide behind claims of good intentions, but ultimately exists only to accumulate its own power. Furthermore, since a totalitarian drive for power constitutes a total control of its citizenry and a political structure that necessitates its existence, as shown by the military strategy of the Party, Orwell warns that once a truly totalitarian state is in place, there is no possible way to overthrow it or turn back from it. Ultimately, Orwell sees a government that is so distorted it has become completely self-serving as the largest threat, defining his view of totalitarianism and the themes of his

    Read More

  • we

    1893 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...speech, action, etc.) Orwell’s 1984 describes the superior position of a powerful leader in one country affect the living condition of its people. He even emphasizes on the weakness of a normal citizen, Winston, when he reveals that not even the truth will defend them from living in fear. The Benefactor and Big Brother are two dictators who use different types of propaganda to control its people mind consciousness. The authors uncover through the dramatic and fatal outcome of both D-503 and Winston lives in comparison with fear and threat. Even today, people still continue to live in propaganda; over mass media. Overall, this technical state reveals that human will never be able to escape from living in full of lies. Therefore, both authors especially Zamyatin urge the readers to expand their minds to improve the life of others and to keep believing in ourselves.

    Read More

  • Brave New World

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Howe, Tom. "George Orwell." British Writers Volume VII. Ed. Ian Scott-Kilvert. New York: Scribner, 1984. 273-287.

    Read More

  • Comparing Orwell's Propaganda And Censorship

    1182 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order to prevent rebellion both Oceania and the Chinese governments use censorship to eliminate individuality by restrictions on thought, expression and actions. Orwell’s predictions of society carry into reality even today,in particular, governments abusing language’s power. The exploitation of language is evident throughout dictatorial countries and mirror Oceania. Through Orwell’s prediction becoming reality one should understand the power of language. Language is a privilege and should never be subject to propagandistic

    Read More

  • 1984: Oppression Of Truth

    1571 Words  | 4 Pages

    Howe, Irving, and George Orwell. 1984 Revisited Totalitarianism in Our Century. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.

    Read More

  • Betrayal In George Orwell's 1984

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Works Cited for: Orwell, George. 1984. The 'Standard' of the ' London: Penguin Books, 2008. Print. The.

    Read More

  • Psychological Manipulation in 1984

    1923 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell, is a superb novel with outstanding themes. One of the most prominent themes found in this novel is psychological manipulation. Citizens in this society are subject to ever present signs declaring “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” (Orwell 1). Along with psychological manipulation, physical control takes place. The Party not only controls what people in Oceania think, but what they do as well.

    Read More

  • Marxism and Leninism

    1618 Words  | 4 Pages

    Riasanovsky, Nicholas V., and Mark D. Steinberg. A History of Russia. 7th ed. Oxford: Oxford, 2005. Print.

    Read More

  • The Threat of Love in Totalitarian Regimes as Depicted in Orwell's 1984

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    Love is the foundation and the weakness of a totalitarian regime. For a stable totalitarian society, love between two individuals is eliminated because only a relationship between the person and the party and a love for its leader can exist. The totalitarian society depicted throughout the Orwell’s novel 1984 has created a concept of an Orwellian society. Stalin’s Soviet state can be considered Orwellian because it draws close parallels to the imaginary world of Oceania in 1984. During the twentieth century, Soviet Russia lived under Stalin’s brutal and oppressive governments, which was necessary for Stalin to retain power.

    Read More

More about George Orwell’s 1984 and Stalin’s Russia

Open Document