Marxist Criticism Is Always Concerned with the Class Struggle in History.

The main aim of Marxism is to bring about a phaseless society. Thus the reason I chose to study George Or wellheads wolf Farm is because its characters share (origin altogethery) this same ambition. Animal Farm represents the oppressed masses rising up and forming a classless society of their own. While whirl a recapitulation of communism in general, the sustain also serves to act as a mirror of Soviet Russia under Stalin. As reflected throughout the text, it was no secret Orwell considered Russia, and consequently Communism, a counter-revolutionary force that would inevitably sound corrupted by greed and power.Indeed, perhaps in order to go further in offering a red ink reading of the text, it is necessary to pass judgement on the author and the epoch in which the book was written. In doing so, I hope to show just how progressive (or anti-progressive) the book is. From almost the real beginning of this book it possible to run through Orwells criticism of Karl Marx, displaye d through Old Major. Many of the characters in the book symbolize real political figures. Old Major is very much equal Karl Marx, at times he appears single minded and unrealistic. Before his death Old Major gave an unwavering pitch stating no animal should perpetually touch money, or act in trade . This is clearly a direct criticism of Karl Marxs naivety, as shown later through Orwells narration Never to nonplus any dealings with human beings, never to engage in trade, never to make use of money had these not been among the earliest resolutions passed at the first lordly meeting when Jones was expelled?It soon becomes clear that Animalism (which bears a striking resemblance to communism) is a system that brush asidenot be maintain the way originally intended. The morals that, at first, rule on the farm become controls. The animals effectively ruin themselves into classes. This class splitting becomes accepted as normal through a process of Hegemony . As depict by Raymond Williams, hegemony is a form of social control that becomes accepted as normal after becoming the pre overriding influence.Indeed the notion of hegemony is closely connect to a c erstpt developed by the French Marxist Louis Althusser. Althussers theory of Ideological Structures becomes hugely relevant when applied to Orwells political satire. These Ideological structures are effectively institutions that retard the masses causing a revolution. In the case of religion for instance, a Marxist would suggest that it prevents a revolution by imposing the notion that you forget be rewarded in the after-life, for all you put up with in this life.The manor in which religion is depicted in Animal Farm leads one to value that Orwell was not a particularly religious man, and in this instance at least he would have agreed with Marxs views on the subject. Here religion is portrayed through the aptly named Moses, the raven. Moses refuses to listen to the rebellious speech given by Old Major , though later preaches about a magical place for all animals called borecole Candy Mountain. In Animal Farm the pigs recreate hard to convince the other animals that Sugar Candy Mountain (heaven) does not exist, though, significantly, this is done before the rebellion takes place.This shows a slightly hypocritical side to Marxs work because after the rebellion takes place the pigs are keen to enforce their own ideology on to the other animals (proletariat), leading to the substantial question Is the will of the people also transferred to their leader In this instance the behave seems to be a resounding No. However on second reading, it could be argued that, up until the very culmination of the book, the animals actually get what they want. One gets the impression that in offering a true Marxist critique of the book, it is actually the case that the animals do achieve their top priority ousting man.In this sense they do become free (from man at least) and it is only their subs equent inability to grasp the prospect of comparability that leads to another regime of dictatorship. Although at the same time it cannot be argued that the majority of the animals (or the masses as they appropriately appoint to themselves) are treated fairly. Evidence of this can be found in the extract of the book I have largely chosen to focus my attentions on (appendix one), where from the outset the animals, in my opinion, are treat worsened than ever before.As a result of the revolution that took place on the farm the animals, excluding the pigs, presume that the luxuries that were once taken away from them, such as milk and apples, would be shared equally among the group, however this is not the case (p. 23) You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege. Many of us actually dislike milk and apples milk and apples (this has been proven by science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well being of the pig . We pigs are brainworkers. (Appendix one)Consequently the animals find themselves in a state of confusion. Their situation, they are constantly reassured, is relegate than before. They now live under their original ideal of animalism, they are told. This can be closely related to the theory of Carbonarism, which was identified as having been created under the Italian Communist Party (1921-43). The theory is largely establish just about the recurring tendency to distract the masses from the real (or perhaps relevant) problems that were occurring under communist rule. In truthfulness the animals are living under a harsh dictatorship, under the veil of animalism.Engels refers to this as an illusion of democracy. By creating this illusion of democracy the ruling class (Napoleon/Stalin) can ensure they stay in power, while everything will stay natural to the proletariat. Indeed this illusion of democracy is further emphasized when the animals are asked questions by the pigs questions to which there can be only one possible reply. In a sense the rhetorical questions act as a tool to reinforce the false class-consciousness It is for your sake that we pigs drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you deal what would happen if we pigs failed our duty?Jones would come back Surely comrades surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back? (p. 23) Althusser calls this Interpellation. A process where by a person is made to feel like they have a choice, when actually the choice does not exist. Peter Barry offers an example You can have any polish you like as coherent as its black Animal Farm can also be cerebrate to another theory. The German philosopher Friedrich Hegel offered the notion that contrasting ideas can be bring about new situations, this is cognise as the dialectic.Thus, a process whereby contradictions are inherent to its structure becomes particularly relevant when discussing Animal Farm. Hegels dialectic was constructed around three key concepts the thesis, the antithesis and the resolution. What Karl Marx did was effectively reinterpret Hegels work and relate it to his own concepts based on class struggle. Thus, Hegels thesis becomes Marxs the way things are Hegels antithesis became the conflict and the resolution, or the ideal, communism.This process is known as dialectical Marxism. However, what Hegel or Marx failed to anticipate was the fall apart of their ideal, once it became accepted (the way things are). Indeed, I contend that Hegels dialectic was a process fuelled by repetition. In other words, it will continue a natural process through the stages until the resolution is reached and when the resolution fails, it will pay back again. This undoubtedly is the case in Animal Farm, where once the animals achieve the goal, they slip back into Hegels thesis.In terms of offering a Marxist reading, the era in which the book was written and, significantly, create is very important and relevant to Orwells sa tire. Animal Farm was written in 1943 (the end of communist Russia), but not published until after the end of the Second World War in 1945. Indeed at such a historical moment in time, I believe that a Marxist would see Orwell as a product of the society in which he was raised, and therefore the book becomes the bi-product. Too add weight to this argument, the dominant ideologies at work at the time the book was written suggest Orwell had capitalist ideals at heart.However, George Orwell was an restless socialist. He did strongly oppose the views of Karl Marx and was not impressed with the idea of communism, but he was equally impertinent to the idea of capitalism. Therefore I believe that Animal Farm should not be regarded as the bi-product of the understandably capitalist society Orwell was a part of. Instead I argue that Animal Farm is the number of such a system in which Orwell was expected to conform. This would perhaps explain why it took so long to get published society (c apitalists and Marxists) was weary.