History Behind George Orwell

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History Behind George Orwells Animal Farm
Karl Marx s Communist Manifesto
George Orwell
Government Definitions
The Russian Revolution
Bolshevik Leaders
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George Orwell(1903-1950)

• Real Name Eric Blair
• Birth 1903 to parents of the British upper
  middle class
• Education Government gave him scholarships.
  Considered poor boy in a rich boys school
• Political Views Socialist, everything he wrote
  had a political purpose behind it. He hated and
  feared totalitarianism

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Literary Styles

• Allegory- a story in which the characters and
  events represent an idea or generalization about
  life. Allegories often have a strong moral, or
  lesson. Ex Edgar Allan Poe Masque of the Red
  Death
• Satire- a literary tone used to ridicule or make
  fun of human weakness and social institutions
  (government).
• Ex Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal

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Government Definitions
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Totalitarianism/Dictatorship

• A government system which has complete control
  over its citizens

• Controls all aspects of their lives including
  church, family, economy, school and media

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Socialism
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• A social system where the state possesses
  political power (usually led by working class)
  and the production and distribution of goods.

• Purpose is to increase social and economic
  equality and cooperation
• Everyone gets certain distribution of goods, but
  can get more if they work harder

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Communism
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• A government system marked by an absence of
  social classes

• Everyone controls the means of producing goods
  and sees that all goods are shared equally.
• Never actually been practiced in history.

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Capitalism
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• Economic system of free enterprise (supply and
  demand)

• Open competition in a free market

• Means of production are privately owned and
  operated for personal profit with no or minimal
  government interference

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Bourgeoisie
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• Wealthy middle class

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Proletariat
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• Working class citizens

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Bolshevik
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• A communist extremist
• Headed by Nikolai Lenin

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Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto

• Karl Marx is considered the founder of all
  present day Communist parties

• Manifesto- proposal of principles, policies and
  objectives
• Marx uses the phrase WORKERS OF THE WORLD,
  UNITE! to elicit unity among the proletariats.

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Stage One

• All history is the story of the struggle of one
  class of people against another that has more
  wealth/power.
• Middle class takes over nobles
• Marx believes that it is the working class turn
  to have the power.

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Stage Two

• Once the middle class has power, the next stage
  is for the workers to seize it from them.
• This stage may take a long time and it is up to
  the socialists to hurry it along.

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Stage Three

• Once the workers have the power they will rule.
  This stage is called the dictatorship of the
  proletariat.
• No individual will be able to make a profit from
  the work of anyone else
• This type of government system is considered
  Socialism.
• The ideal situation during this stage would be
  for everyone to work to the best of his/her
  ability and would be rewarded according to the
  work he did.

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Stage Four

• The government system involved in the final stage
  would be true communism.
• By this time everyone will recognize that what is
  best for all is best for the individual, and no
  one will be greedy for private gain again.
• Everyone will continue to work to the best of
  their ability for the public good, and in return
  they will be able to have whatever they need.

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Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924)

• Russian Marxist revolutionary
• Creator of the Bolshevik Party
• Founder of Soviet State

• Assumed power following the resignation of the
  Russian emperor (Nicholas II)

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Vladimir Lenin (cont)

• Was considered the decision maker of the
  Bolshevik party
• Wanted a communist society for Russia
• Lenin was in charge for FIVE years before he
  died.

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Leon Trotsky (1879-1940)

• Head of Soviet Foreign Ministry
• Commander of the troops of the Red Army
• Trotsky was a very charismatic man and eloquent
  and energetic speaker

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Leon Trotsky (cont)

• Stalin and Trotsky conflicted
• Stalin eventually won the conflict when Trotsky
  was publically humiliated and exiled in 1927.
• It was rumored at the time that Stalin had
  Trotsky killed.

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Joseph Stalin (1879-1953)

• Stalin took power over the country after Lenin
  died and formulated all principal policies
• Stalin worked his way up into power through
  various revolutionary activities.

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Joseph Stalin (cont)

• Transformed corrective labor camps into slave
  labor camps.
• In the early 1930s, Stalin forced the peasantry
  into collective farms (huge government-run farms)
  and took all their possessions
• Stalin established a terroristic police state.

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Joseph Stalin (cont)

• Instituted trials where people were found guilty
  of treason and executed.
• Promoted many 5 Year Plans which focused on the
  economic growth of the U.S.S.R.
• These prominent Bolsheviks were accused of
  plotting with Trotsky to assassinate Stalin and
  overthrow the Soviet government.

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Joseph Stalin (cont)

• Stalin approved of the cult of the Stalinist
  Adoration because he was vain and wanted devotion
  only to him.
• Cities were named after Stalin and there was
  Ceremonial homage (special honor) to him
  throughout the country.

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The Royal Romanovs
Title Page

• Tsar Nicholas II
• Last of the dynasty of over 300 years
• Anastasia was one of 5 children
• Still believed in the divine right of kings ?
  made Russia out-dated
• Disliked for many reasons

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Major Factors of Peoples Dislike of Nicholas II

• Farmers
• Workers
• Bloody Sunday
• WWI
• Rasputin

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Nobody Likes Nicholas

• Rural Farmers made up large amount of population
• No tax relief high rent of land
• Most unproductive land in Europe
• Poor and starving
• Workers had no way to improve situation
• No unions
• No industry until 1890
• Low pay, long hours, horrible working conditions

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Nobody Likes Nicholas

• Bloody Sunday ? January 1905
• Workers went on strike and stormed Nicholas
  Winter Palace unarmed
• The Royal Guard killed hundreds of people
• Nicholas II was to blame

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Nobody Likes Nicholas

• Grigori Rasputin
• healed Nicholas son Alexi of hemophilia
  (genetic disorder that weakens ability to stop
  bleeding)
• Mystic believed in the healing powers of prayer
• Stopped people from giving him the new drug
  aspirin, which would make his condition worse
• He had direct control over the Tsar and Tsarina ?
  lost credibility with people

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Nobody Likes Nicholas

• WWI (1914-1918)
• Largest reason for revolution
• Death tolls were devastating
• People blamed the presence of Nicholas on the
  front lines
• Low supplies led to starvation

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Nobody Likes Nicholas

• February Revolution (1917)
• Strikes paralyzed St. Petersburg
• Nicholas tried to put them down by force, but
  soldiers mutinied
• Abdicated throne to his brother, Michael, but he
  refused
• Ended Russian empire
• Provisional Government (Petrograd Soviet Party)
  was put in place

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Nobody Likes Nicholas

• October Revolution (1917)
• Lenin (leader of Bolshevik Party) gained
  popularity under the promise of Peace, Land, and
  Bread
• With the help of the Red Guard (Trotsky), the
  Bolsheviks overtook the Provisional Government
  (Petrograd Soviet Party)

• Established a party dictatorship
• Renamed Bolsheviks as Communist Party

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Civil War (1918-1920)

• Whites (Anti-Communist) and Reds (Pro-Communist)
  fought for control
• The War left Russia with more famine and
  casualties than WWI
• Trotsky and Lenin won and established the USSR
  in 1922 (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

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Life in the U.S.S.R.

• Constant Propaganda
• Mandatory subscription to Pravda ? The Truth
• Put out whatever the Communist Party wanted
• Would alter the truth

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Life in the U.S.S.R.

• Russian Working Class
• Center of the Russian Revolutions
• Dedicated and loyal, yet naive to corruption
• Russian Apathetical Class
• didnt care either way
• did not feel there was that much of a difference
  before or after the revolution

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Life in the U.S.S.R.

• Russian Orthodox Church
• Had it better under the Tsar
• Was abolished for a while (separation of Church
  and State)
• Then brought back
• The Petit Bourgeoisie
• Wealthy middle Class
• Many fled Russia