Animal Farm It struck me that if only

Animal Farm “It struck me that if only such animals became aware of their strength we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the worker. ” - George Orwell on how he came to write Animal Farm

Are we reading a children’s book? Animal Farm is one of those unique books with multiple meanings. Animal Farm is a story about farm animals who get fed up with their brutal farmer and overthrow the farm. BUT…the meaning goes deeper…

Animal Farm is a satire about world politics and a commentary on the relevance of independent thought, truth and justice. Animal Farm is also an allegory of the Russian Revolution.

What is an allegory? An allegory is a narrative that can be read on more than one level. Can you think of any other stories you may have read that are allegories?

What is satire? In a satire, the writer attacks a serious issue by presenting it in a ridiculous light or otherwise poking fun at the issue. Can you think of any examples of satire you are familiar with? Check out this example… http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=u 9 s 7 afo. YI-M

A Little Information About the Russian Revolution Early in the 1900’’s Russia was ruled by a Czar, Nicholas II.

Nicholas does not do well in the polls. Nicholas was not a popular leader (think George W. Bush). Many Russians were struggling to simply survive under the oppressive government that Nicholas was running.

Typically, when people are upset about their government, they revolt! By 1917 a revolution broke out in Russia. The people spoke! This photo shows demonstrators in the streets of Petrograd. This photo was taken at demonstration after the government opened fire on demonstrators with machine guns.

Lenin leads the revolt. Vladmir Lenin became the leader of the “new Russia. ” Unfortunately, Lenin died in 1924.

Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky both want to take over where Lenin left off…

Stalin and Trotsky have very different ideas about how the country should be led. Stalin wanted to exercise power through regulations and rules. He felt that this was the best way to pull his country forward. Trotsky was a masterful military strategist and inspirational leader. He wanted to limit government control.

Stalin Wins the Battle! Through force and fear, Stalin becomes leader of Russia, but does not forgive Trotsky and deports him into permanent exile. Stalin even went so far as to remove any trace of Trotsky from Soviet history. He took down photos of Trotsky and even censored newspapers and used his own newspaper, Pravda, to control information.

But Stalin proves to be a bully of a leader… Stalin wanted to move Russia (now known as the Soviet Union) into an industrial age. His goal was to keep up with other countries so he created a “Five Year Plan. ” In five years, Stalin wanted the Soviet Union modernized, like the rest of the world. The problem was, Stalin did not do this in a democratic manner. He seized land of citizens…

The problem was, Stalin did not do this in a democratic manner. He seized land, took control of newspapers, schools, and all freedoms the citizens of the Soviet Union may have had. He told the citizens that this total control was for the good of the country…. Does this sound familiar?

Stalin became consumed with his own power. Stalin wanted to “Westernize” the Soviet Union. But he was torn because at the time another vicious leader rose to power. Adolf Hitler convinced Stalin to pledge himself to Hitler by signing a “non-aggression” pact. Both men agreed never to invade each other’s country.

As we all know…Hitler was deceitful! True to form, Hilter broke his promise to Stalin and in 1941 invaded the Soviet Union. Now Stalin had to go running to Western Allies in need of help. Ultimately, the Soviet armies forced Hitler out of the Soviet Union, but the battles were not without loss. The Soviet Union was devastated.

To understand life in the Soviet Union during and after the Russian Revolution, we must understand the many types of government. Socialist Democracy Communist Totalitarianism

Socialism The ideas behind socialism came from Karl Marx believed that a country was better off if capital, money, markets and labor were not viewed as a commodity. If capital, money, markets and labor are not viewed as a commodity then wealth would be distributed much more equally.

Democracy A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. Democracy differs from socialism because people generally have the freedom to vote as individuals and not as a collective society. Over the years, “democratic socialism” has developed. Democratic socialists like the ideas that come with socialism (equal distribution of wealth) but want the goals of socialism to come about in a democratic manner.

Communism The ideas behind communism were also created by Karl Marx believed that the working class would eventually overthrow the ruling class and that the working class would then set up a socialist form of government in which the government, not individuals, owned the means of production. Marx believed that this form of government would result in complete freedom with social and economic equality for all people. Marx wrote this philosophy in a short but profound pamphlet called the Communist Manifesto.

Totalitarianism • Dictatorship • a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator • After Stalin took over as leader of Russia, he became a totalitarian leader.

The ideas behind communism have changed over the years… Communism and socialism used to go hand in hand. Both ideas centered around equal distribution of wealth. Over time, however, communists have veered away from Marx’s original beliefs. Communist governments tend to be led with an iron fist and not in a democratic manner, although they are still trying to accomplish the same goal.

Now for the test… • You will be divided into groups of four. Each group will be given money and assigned one of the types of governmentioned above. • You must come up with a way to demonstrate to the class, how the money would be used within the type of government your group was assigned.

So why aren’t communist or socialist governments successful? HINT: Think back to Anthem.