Transcript The Book” within a Book: Emmanuel Goldstein’s view of Oceania

“The Book” within a Book:
Emmanuel Goldstein’s view of
Oceania
The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical
Collectivism
• Oligarchical stemming from the word ‘oligarchy’ = from of government in
which a small group of people have control of a country/organization.
• Collectivism = political theory of organization in which ownership of
property/production is controlled by “the people” – not individuals (like
capitalism)
• Three Chapters: “War is Peace,” “Ignorance is Strength,” “Freedom is
Slavery”
Main Ideas of Goldstein’s Book:
• Global Stalemate:
• 3 Super States: Eurasia, Eastasia, Oceania
• Large enough to support themselves – can sustain own resources.
• Each is powerful enough by itself that it cannot be conquered – all three are
in a global stalemate.
Never-Ending War
• No need for war, but there is.
• Why is there war? It’s a way of utilizing human labor – used by all three
Super States.
• Continuous war is the economic basis of a hierarchal society.
• Human labor is not to increase standard of living – it is to control societal
roles.
“War is Peace”
• War is continuous and normal for society.
• The opposing sides are not trying to win anything – there is no winner.
• Continuity of the war guarantees the permanence of the current world
order.
• War is the status quo – in other words…
• “War is Peace”.
An Emotional Focal Point
• People connect to Big Brother with their feelings.
• Their hopes, fears - worries over protection and safety are enlisted in Big
Brother.
• Whatever Big Brother says is “the absolute truth” because he is saying it.
• Anything not in line with Big Brother must be false.
Collectivism Does Not Lead to Socialism
• Socialism: The equal sharing of goods and services produced by society)
• All wealth belongs to Inner Party.
• Collectivism is propaganda that makes society think that everything belongs
to everyone.
• Ensures permanence of economic inequality = keeps the Party in Power
• Wealth is kept within the ruling group. Not inherited from person to person.
No Private Emotions
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The Proles are given freedom of thought because they do not think.
Party members are not allowed to have private emotions.
Allowed to hate foreigners and traitors.
Allowed to love and fear Big Brother.
Doublethink begins in childhood which constitutes mental training –
attaching itself to the slogan “Ignorance is Strength”
No Basis For Comparison
• No comparison to quality of life if the Party controls every emotion and form
of media.
• “Everything is Getting Better”
• An obvious lie – but it is believed because people do not know how to
question Big Brother.
• They accept that life is getting better (ex: Chocolate rations continue to lower, yet
believed to be higher from last report)
Lack of Values Allows Total Control of
Humans
• Fascism: a belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group (a
contempt for democracy, insistence on obedience to a powerful leader)
• Those who have no ethical values have nothing to stop them from exerting
total control over those they want to abuse.
• If it is believed that no action is wrong, than any action is just.
• Big Brother = By Any Means Necessary