Raised into Subservience

The course of history endured various attempts at implementing totalitarian societies in which the government seeks to command all aspects citizens’ lives. Modern societies hold totalitarian governments such as Nazi Germany, Mussolini’s rule in Italy, and North Korea with contemptuous attitudes. Ayn Rand, the author of Anthem, castigates this type of society by authoring a book surrounding a collectivist government. The main character, Prometheus, struggles against collectivism since his ego possesses him constantly. Ultimately, he deserts his society, and he realizes the domination the government had over him. One of the methods used by the government was endorsing separation of families. Dictators sunder children from their families to breed the children into submission of the government.

Dictators institute austere disciplinary measures upon children when they tear them from the loving arms of their families. For example, Prometheus recalls the Home of Infants he occupied alongside all other newborns of the same year until they were five years old. Their sleeping hall was “white and clean and bare of all things,” illustrating a void of personality and youth (Rand 20). If they had lived with their parents, each household would have practiced its own level of suitable discipline. However, in Prometheus’s society, the children suffer a lackluster, regimented childhood with minute freedom. There was little stimulation of imagination or inquisitiveness in their society, and that molded the children into compliant puppets. By observing this from birth, citizens of Prometheus’ society grew into obedience of the State. Furthermore, children were required to attend the Home of Students until their fifteenth year, and then they shall do ...

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...situations and to question everything. Unfortunately, without a family, the children are at the mercy of the government and dictators’ indoctrination.

Totalitarian societies grasp control of a country’s political, social, and cultural aspects with ferocity. This type of regime requires a rigorous approach to assume complete obedience of the citizens. Separation of a child from their family is a common tactic, and the government uses it in the collectivist society in Anthem. After the separation, the government exercises strict discipline over the children. It also dissolves familial identity, and it brainwashes the children into serving the State. Furthermore, the government sneaks in beliefs and ideas through the education system since the schools are in their influence. These tactics result in the unmitigated deference of the children under the regime’s supremacy.