Totalitarianism in Animal Farm

Totalitarianism represents humanity's most insidious perversion of political power—a systematic assault on individual freedom that transforms entire societies into controlled environments where human spirit is methodically crushed. Unlike mere dictatorships that primarily seek political submission, totalitarian regimes wage a comprehensive war against human autonomy, penetrating the most intimate spaces of personal thought, belief, and expression.
At its core, totalitarianism is a radical political ideology that does not simply want obedience, but complete psychological transformation. It demands not just compliance, but total internal surrender. The totalitarian state is not satisfied with external conformity; it seeks to fundamentally reshape human consciousness, creating subjects who internalise the state's narrative so deeply that external coercion becomes almost unnecessary.
The machinery of totalitarian control is breathtakingly sophisticated. Through pervasive propaganda, manipulated media, surveillance technologies, and systematic fear, these regimes construct elaborate narratives that rewrite history, distort reality, and create alternative collective memories. Education becomes indoctrination, art becomes propaganda, and personal relationships are transformed into potential instruments of state control.
What distinguishes totalitarianism from traditional authoritarianism is its total ambition. Where authoritarian systems are content with political submission, totalitarian regimes seek complete ideological conversion. They do not merely silence opposition; they seek to make opposition conceptually impossible by controlling language, redefining truth, and creating psychological environments where independent thought becomes unimaginable.
The most chilling aspect of totalitarianism is its ability to make the extraordinary seem ordinary. Mass surveillance becomes routine, political persecution becomes normalised, and citizens gradually adapt to ever-shrinking spheres of personal freedom. The genius of totalitarian systems lies in their capacity to make oppression feel like protection, to transform collective trauma into perceived collective purpose.
Resistance to totalitarianism, therefore, is not just a political act but a profoundly human one—a declaration of individual dignity against systems designed to erase individual consciousness. Each act of independent thought, each moment of genuine human connection, becomes a revolutionary gesture, a reminder that human spirit ultimately transcends mechanical systems of control.

Animal Farm by George Orwell
Read here Animal Farm by George Orwell PDF (only for academic purpose).

Animal Farm is a powerful allegorical novella that serves as a scathing critique of totalitarian political systems, particularly Stalinist Russia. The story begins when the animals of Manor Farm, led by the pigs, overthrow their human owner Mr. Jones in a revolution inspired by Old Major's vision of animal equality. Initially, the animals establish principles of shared governance and mutual respect, symbolised by their seven commandments of "Animalism."

However, the revolution quickly deteriorates as the pigs, particularly Napoleon and Squealer, begin to manipulate the other animals. They gradually assume more privileges, rewrite history, and ultimately become indistinguishable from the human oppressors they initially rebelled against. The famous commandment "All animals are equal" is subtly altered to "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others," perfectly encapsulating the hypocrisy of the new regime.

Orwell masterfully uses the farm's microcosm to expose how revolutionary ideals can be corrupted by power. The characters represent key historical figures: Napoleon mirrors Stalin, Snowball represents Trotsky, and the working animals symbolise the proletariat manipulated by those in power. The pigs' progressive adoption of human behaviours—walking on two legs, wearing clothes, drinking alcohol—illustrates how revolutionary leaders often become the very oppressors they once fought against.

The novel's greatest strength lies in its simplicity and universal message. It's not just a critique of Soviet communism, but a broader commentary on how ideological movements can be hijacked by ambitious individuals who prioritise personal power over collective well-being. Through animal characters, Orwell reveals the most disturbing aspects of human political behaviour: the ease with which power can corrupt, the malleability of truth, and the willingness of oppressed groups to accept gradual subjugation.

Animal Farm remains a timeless warning about the dangers of totalitarianism, propaganda, and the erosion of democratic principles. Its enduring relevance stems from its ability to expose the fundamental human tendencies that can transform well-intentioned revolutions into oppressive regimes.

Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution of 1917, called as the Bolshevik Revolution, also referred to as the Great October Socialist Revolution. And at a broader sense, animal farm is an allegory for any society. It has ruling class and a working class. Power is abused and the control of the nation is absolute

In Animal Farm, the subjects are given the illusion of freedom as a means of controlling someone. The easiest people to control are those who think they are free. The pigs in Animal Farm give others the illusion of freedom by:

• Calling them comrades; because it implies equality but in fact there isn’t. It makes them feel like they are equal.
• All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. There again is the illusion of equality.
• Letting them elect the president but he is the only choice. There is the illusion of choice actually there is none.