Essay on 1984 George Orwell’s book 1984, written after observing the situation that emerged during and after World War II, is one of the greatest dystopian novels of all time. Orwell sketches a society of the future, which surprisingly does not differ that much with the modern world. The world has been divided into three super-states, which are constantly at war with each other. They all are founded around the same political ideology, which Orwell names: Oligarchic Collectivism. The story takes place in Oceania one of the three super-states, in Airstrip One (aka London). In Oceania the ruling party is INGSOC, also often referred to as The Party. The three party slogans are: War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is Strength and are held in place by the concept of doublethink (the act of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct, often in distinct social contexts.) Those three slogans ensure that the party will last forever. “War is Peace” causes the people of Oceania to accept their life conditions. The conflict between the 3 super-states cannot be won, and does not need to be won. This continuous war (pg 216: “To understand … formidable”) only exists to ensure that each countries respective party stays in power. It involves little fighting, few causalities and most importantly; gives a reason for the shortage of consumption good and the low standard of living, as well as unites the people around the Party. (pg 215216: “In the centers … acted upon”). The slogan, a contradiction itself, is believed by all Party members, even the Ruling ones, through the mind-controlling and propaganda device of double-think. When the party says (not even implies) that the standard of living has increased due to a conquer of an area, then the people believe that this has happened. The weekly rations might have decreased, but if the Party says things are better, then they are. “Freedom is Slavery” ensures that people will never fight for their freedom. It is yet another contradiction that stays in place by means of doublethink. What the slogan actually means is that when the people give their free will to the Party, they do not have to worry about any decision, and so are free of all concern. The Party makes the decisions for them, and the people can concentrate on the basic things of life. To eat, drink, breathe, and sleep. Not the details; what to eat, what to drink, till when to breathe, how much to sleep. (pg 312: “You did it! … foresee”) When you go against the Party, when you try to regain your free will, you are reduced to a pitiful human as illustrated with this quote. The Party makes this slogan true, by reducing anyone who tries to achieve Freedom, to a Slave. This is done through the Ministry of Love (yet another contradiction held together by Doublethink) and the Thought Police which tracks down potential criminals. This created a regime of fear that ensures that people will not fight for their freedom. “Ignorance is Strength” is the most important slogan of the three. It wields both the control of the Party over the minds of the people, and shows the importance of Doublethink in the regime. It suggests to the people, that by not knowing anything, and allowing the Party to know, they become a
unity and as such strong. ("But the proles, if only they could somehow become conscious of their own strength, would have no need to conspire. They needed only to rise up and shake themselves like a horse shaking off flies. If they chose they could blow the Party to pieces tomorrow morning. Surely sooner or later it must occur to them to do it?”) In this quote lies the true meaning of the slogan. Ignorance is Strength refers to two different groups. The true meaning of this slogan is that by keeping both the masses, and the members of the Outer Party ignorant, the party becomes collectively stronger. This slogan also is the basis of doublethink, and has created double think. Because the people are kept ignorant, they accept all truth given to them by the party even if it contradicts with previous knowledge or even previous truth again given by the party. (“consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed”). To conclude, these three slogans show the Party’s power over the minds of the people, and how that power is everlasting. By being in a constant state of war, which simply cannot be won by either side the Party ensures that the people accept the low standard of living and that the Party can’t be overthrown by the conqueror. By making the people submit their own free will to the Party, and that done by their own free will as well, the Party gains total control over the people’s lives. And finally, by keeping the people in a state of ignorance, with little contact to places far away, they accept the Party as their leader and unite around the Party. Those concepts are held together by the act of doublethink, and that is why Doublethink is the most important tool that makes sure that the party will last forever.
