George Orwell's Animal Farm serves as a powerful allegory for the Russian Revolution and its subsequent descent into tyranny, offering a timeless cautionary tale about the corrupting nature of power and the fragility of freedom.
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Animal Farm is based on the Russian Revolution and the tyranny that followed some of the key
characters and plot points in the book represent actual people and events. Remember, that while
the story is very much a reaction to the Russian Revolution its exploration of power and corruption
tells us a lot about every government and serves as an important cautionary tale about the
preservation of democracy and freedom. The Russian Revolution started in 1917 at the time Russia was
ruled by Tsar Nicholas II. The Russian people had endured centuries of oppression from the royal
family which was known as the house of Romanov. The rule of Tsar Nicholas II was characterized by
unrest and violence. Even his coronation in 1896 was marked by tragedy. Almost a hundred thousand
people gathered in a field outside Moscow and when rumors spread that there wouldn't be enough food,
there was a massive stampede that killed almost 1,300 people, earning him the nickname Bloody
Nicholas. In 1904, Nicholas II dragged the Russian people into an unpopular war with Japan.
Throughout the conflict, he maintained confidence in a Russian victory despite overwhelming evidence
to the contrary. At the time, Russia was also in the midst of an industrial revolution. Thousands
of peasants had flocked to the cities to work in factories where they received little pay and
endured terrible conditions. As a result in 1905 as many as fifty thousand demonstrators descended
on the Winter Palace to present Tsar Nicholas II with a petition demanding been working conditions
improved wages and an eight-hour day. In response, the Tsar sent 10,000 troops to meet the protesters
shots were fired and some historians estimate that up to a thousand people were killed in
the skirmishes and the ensuing panic. After terrible losses in World War 1, the country was
on the verge of collapse. It's estimated that 1.7 million Russian soldiers were killed in the war.
Skyrocketing food prices and a bitter winter also contributed to the unrest. Tsar Nicholas
abdicated the throne in 1917 and a provisional government was formed. The provisional government
was very much sympathetic to the Royals and the upper classes what were called the bourgeois. In
October of 1917, the Bolsheviks, a revolutionary socialist organization led by Vladimir Lenin and
Leon Trotsky, took power. This led to a bloody and violent five year civil war between the Bolsheviks
and the White Army, who represented the monarchy in the interests of the bourgeois. The Soviet
Union was formed in the aftermath of the Russian Civil War. Vladimir Lenin, one of the leaders of
the October Revolution, became its first leader after his death in 1924. In a power struggle with
Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin came to power and led the country for the next 30 years. Under Stalin,
the Soviet Union became a repressive totalitarian regime. Stalin began a series of five-year plans
which saw the rapid industrialization of Russia. He set high targets for coal, steel,
oil and electricity. Factories that failed to meet quotas were criticized and the government
took increasingly repressive measures to increase output. Stalin dealt ruthlessly with his political
opponents. Leon Trotsky was exiled and eventually assassinated in 1940. The Great Purge of 1937 and
1938 saw up to 1.2 million people killed. Many were sent to labor camps or gulags
where they were ultimately executed. The Moscow Trials of 1938 involved the trial and execution
of Stalin's high-profile political opponents. After threats and torture, many of these people
confessed to crimes including treason. The Russian secret police or NKVD were instrumental in this
process. Throughout Stalin's reign, propaganda was used to promote the Communist Party. Books,
newspapers, films, radio and art all promoted the Soviet cause. When it comes to Animal Farm,
many of the characters represent actual historical figures. Farmer Jones,
the brutal drunk and incompetent owner of Manor Farm represents Tsar Nicholas II. His callousness
and neglect leads to the revolution early in the novel. The wise and benevolent pig Old Major is
an obvious representation of German philosopher Karl Marx who developed the idea of communism,
the notion that the working class would eventually rise up and seize control creating a classless
society where wealth is shared. In the novel, the pig Snowball represents Leon Trotsky. Trotsky was
a key figure in the Russian Revolution after the death of Vladimir Lenin who was leader
of the Communist Party. There was a leadership struggle between Trotsky and Stalin. Defeated,
Trotsky lived the rest of his in exile where he was ultimately assassinated. Napoleon,
the ruthless leader of Animal Farm, is clearly a representation of Joseph Stalin and his brutal
leadership of the Soviet Union. There are a number of small characters as well. The vain mare Molly,
who represents the bourgeois sympathetic to Tsar Nicholas II. Boxer, who represents the
hard-working people of the Soviet Union. The tame raven Moses, who stands in for the Russian
Orthodox Church. And Foxwood and Pinchfield who represent Britain and Germany. There are many
parallels between history and the characters and events in the novel. We'll talk more about these
as we study the book but at this stage what's important to remember is that we're still talking
about Animal Farm because it's lessons about power and corruption continue to have relevance.
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