Transcript The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism

George Orwell presents…
The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical
(oh-li-gar-kick) Collectivism
Or: “How to stop crafting a nuanced piece
of fiction and cram in your own philosophical
principles with all the subtlety of a tapdancing rhinoceros.”
Ahhh… Chapter 9 of 1984!
…Where Orwell presents an
excerpt from Emmanuel
Goldstein’s book.
…Where the author presents
his most overt philosophical
beliefs on society, politics,
and the history of organized
government.
…Where readers ask themselves, “Can
this be true?” and “What does it
mean?” and “How many
marshmallows can I fit in my mouth?”
Oli…what?!
Oligarchy: a form of government where political
power effectively rests with a small elite segment
of society.
Collectivism: a term used to describe any moral,
political, or social outlook that stresses human
interdependence and the importance of a
“collective group” rather than the importance of
separate individuals.
Some working definitions of
-isms… You’ll just heart them!
Capitalism: A social system based in which people
are free to produce, trade, and thus precondition an
economic system in which all property is privately
owned and operated for profit.
Investments, distribution, income, production and
pricing of goods and services are determined through
the operation of a market economy.
Socialism: A socio-economic system in which
property and the distribution of wealth are subject to
control by the community.
Let’s start with where Orwell got
his ideas.
Das
Kapital by Karl Marx
The
Managerial Revolution
by James Burnham
Hitler’s
Germany
Das Kapital by Karl Marx

Orwell was heavily influenced by Marx’s Das
Kapital, a criticism of capitalism.

Marx explained that the central injustice of
capitalism was in the exploitation and
alienation of labor-- "the degradation of
labor".

In Das Kapital, Marx describes history in
terms of classes: the upper class—who
control the means of production—and the
lower class—who trade their labor for access
to the means.

To analyze a work literary work like 1984 from
a Marxist perspective, the reader must
identify the social classes and describe how
their interactions shape the story.
The Managerial Revolution by
James Burnham

Burnham wrote several influential essays.

In The Managerial Revolution, Burnham
argued that capitalism was fading, but
socialism was not taking its place. Instead, a
complex system of super-nations
(corporations) were becoming the new
organizers of society.

These super-states will fight among
themselves for possession of the remaining
uncaptured portions of the earth, but will
probably be unable to conquer one another
completely. Internally, each society will be
hierarchical, with an aristocracy of talent at the
top and a mass of semi-slaves at the bottom.
The Managerial Revolution
continued
The Three Stooges
are not a committee.

Burnham is mainly interested in
demonstrating that a
democratic society has never
existed and so far as we can
see, never will exist.

Society is of its nature
oligarchical—that is, governed
by the few– and the power of
the oligarchy always rests upon
force and fraud.
Hitler’s Nazi Germany
Orwell was deeply disturbed by the
pervasiveness, efficiency, and success of
Nazi Germany. He based many facets of
1984 on its example, including:
 The use of sophisticated propaganda
against a largely innocuous or invented
adversary to create patriotic fury in the
masses.

The use of an oppressive and often
secret police (Gestapo) to enforce
internal threats to the lower party.

The attempts to control the populace
through reinvention of language, family
units, and even historical details.
It is no
coincidence
that Emmanuel
Goldstein is a
Jewish name.
Now… on to
Chapter 9!
The Theory and Practice of
Oligarchical Collectivism
Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength
Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength
Throughout
history,
therechanges.
have been
The never
Middle
This pattern
The
remain in
They are overthrown by Thus,
the Middle
 High
The Low—when
The
High
power for a time, until the Middle, who enlist
become the new High,
have
aMiddle
goal—
kinds the
ofwant
people:
The they
High,
switch
they three
loseto
faith in
Low
byto
pretending
while
a newThe
wish
to establish
a
themselves, or their
to be fighting for liberty wish
develops,
and the Low
Middle,
and
The
Low.
places with
remain
ability to rule
or justice or some other society
remain inwhere
their previous
there
efficiently,
or both.
cause.
position.
are no class

And
thus,
history
unfolds
in
the
The
High.
High…
er,
in
The goals of each group are entirely
distinctions.
power,
that
is.
following
pattern:
irreconcilable.
Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength
The entire function of Ingsoc, the ruling
party of Oceania, is to ensure that Ingsoc
never loses power. To that end, the party
utilizes a variety of techniques:
•Inbred Crimestop
•Doublethink
•A constantly changing past
•Perpetual Warfare
Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength
Indeed, shaping the ideal
citizen is part of Ingsoc’s
agenda.
Are you the perfect
citizen? Do you…
...Prevent crimes by being so stupid or
feeble-minded that you are no longer
capable of revolutionary thought?
…Practice doublethink– the process
of holding two contradictory beliefs at
the same time and believing both?
…Wordlessly accept a constantly
revised description of past events that
almost always negate your own
experiences?
Chapter 3: War is Peace

In Goldstein’s world, there are three
superpowers:
Thus,
thesuperpower
goalbusiness
of warfare
not
to
Andone
so,
the
of
No
is issociety
strong
Kerpow!
win,
but
to
continuously
use
up
the
becomes
not
protecting
the
enough to conquer the other
surplusofofthe
a society
without
interests
governed,
but
a
two.
Boom!
actually raising the standard of
sustainable, perpetual state of
living.
warfare.
Boom!
Chapter 3: War is Peace
First,
war eats up any surplus
materials. If you have these lying
around, sooner or later the lower
classes are going to ask for them.
Why fight a
•Second,
it encourages people to
never-ending
hand authority over to a hierarchy.
Threatened
an invading
war? byOh,
I’m hoard?
Don’t worry, an institutionalized
system
government
so ofglad
you will save
you!
Most
importantly, it creates political
asked!
dedication. It makes the governed

more patriotic and they just want to
KILL ALL TERRORISTS! THEY MUST
DIE! THE STREETS WILL RUN WITH
BLOOD! YAH YAH YAH I LOVE MY
COUNTRY!!!!!
Chapter 3: War is Peace

Now of course, we don’t actually want to WIN these wars.
No, no, no.

For one thing, if you launch a full assault, you might LOSE.
Best not fight anyone you could possibly lose to.

Second, if your people interact with other societies in a
meaningful way, they might begin to identify with them as
people. You’ll lose your cultural integrity.

Third—and most dangerous—your citizens might begin to
recognize that 1) the enemy is much like themselves, 2)
conditions within nations are not that different, and 3) each
nation has pretty much the same ruling philosophy. This
might lead to one of those aforementioned revolts.
Theory and Practice: Do you buy it?
• That those in power will seek to
keep this power until it is forcibly
removed?
Orwell blended the
political realities of his
lifetime with the
•That those in power will purposely theories and ideas of
Marx and Burnham to
perpetuate a wartime climate
despite the loss of state and human create the world of
capital?
1984. The question is:
Do you agree with his
•That those in power will work to
conclusions?
create a populace that is
uninformed, disinterested in
reform, and ultimately desirous that
those in power remain empowered?