Oppressive Systems of Government in Egypt and Animal Farm

As in Egypt, Orwell demonstrates through his allegorical novel “Animal Farm” that leaders are able to establish and maintain power over a people, and in turn create an oppressive and corrupt government system.

Orwell shows the significant difference in the education and levels of knowledge in the animals, and how the government takes advantage of this difference. The split between the levels of intelligence is portrayed in the first chapter when the idea of rebellion is sparked: “… the stupidest of them had already picked up the tune and a few words, and as for the clever ones, such as the pigs and the dogs, they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes” (Orwell 13). When Old Major --the spark that set fire to the idea of revolution-- dies, the claimed more intelligent animals of the farm begin to long for a rebellion: “Major’s speech had given to the more intelligent animals on the farm a completely new outlook on life... they saw clearly that it was their duty to prepare for it” (Orwell 15). The animals who seem to be on the less- knowledgeable/ less- educated side of the spectrum are not as much affected by this. They go on with life, and the pigs are able to establish an oppressive regime because of the other animals’ ignorance and disinterest in the topic of the farm’s well being. The pigs do not try to dissuade the animals in the pursuit of being educated; however, they do encourage the animals to be complacent with their lack of knowledge (Orwell 34). The animals are therefore unable to have opinions or take part in discussion for the welfare of the whole community.

In Egypt, the political system was based on a one man dictator, Hosni Mubarak, who held his regime for 30 years. He governed the citizens of Egypt, a...

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