Background Information on Animal Farm. George Orwell (1903-1950) Pen name of Eric Blair Pen name of Eric Blair Grew up in British India Grew up in British.

Background Information Background Information on on Animal FarmAnimal Farm

George Orwell (1903-1950)George Orwell (1903-1950)

Pen name of Eric BlairPen name of Eric Blair Grew up in British IndiaGrew up in British India First worked for British First worked for British

empire in Burma, then empire in Burma, then moved to Europe to writemoved to Europe to write

Volunteered in Spanish Civil Volunteered in Spanish Civil War and opposed Soviet War and opposed Soviet communist influence therecommunist influence there

Democratic socialistDemocratic socialist Wrote Wrote Animal Farm Animal Farm (1945) (1945)

and and 1984 1984 (1949)(1949)

Animal Farm Animal Farm (1945)(1945)

A reaction to Orwell’s A reaction to Orwell’s experiences in the Spanish experiences in the Spanish Civil WarCivil War

Expresses his political beliefs Expresses his political beliefs against totalitarianism and against totalitarianism and Stalinist communism- meant Stalinist communism- meant to be a cautionary tale to be a cautionary tale

Characters and plot Characters and plot represent people and events represent people and events from Russian Revolution (but from Russian Revolution (but can also connect to China)can also connect to China)

Karl Marx and CommunismKarl Marx and Communism

German philosopher who German philosopher who observed evils of Industrial observed evils of Industrial Revolution in 1800s EnglandRevolution in 1800s England

Wrote the Wrote the Communist Communist ManifestoManifesto (1848) with Friedrich (1848) with Friedrich EngelsEngels– History as eternal class struggleHistory as eternal class struggle– Capitalism would fail and the Capitalism would fail and the

proletariat would eventually rise proletariat would eventually rise up to create a classless societyup to create a classless society

Capitalism vs. Socialism vs. Capitalism vs. Socialism vs. CommunismCommunism

CapitalismIndividuals make most economic decisionsBased on private ownership of resources and pursuit of profitLack of govt. Lack of govt. interventionintervention

SocialismSocialismGovt. makes Govt. makes many economic many economic decisions in decisions in attempt to achieve attempt to achieve equalityequalityGovt. owns and Govt. owns and control basic control basic resources; limited resources; limited private propertyprivate property

CommunismGovt. makes all Govt. makes all economic economic decisions in decisions in attempt to attempt to achieve equalityachieve equalityGovt. owns and Govt. owns and controls all controls all resources; no resources; no private propertyprivate propertyOften supported Often supported by totalitarian by totalitarian govt. govt.

Communist Revolution in Communist Revolution in Russia Russia

When: 1917When: 1917 Causes:Causes:

– InequalityInequality– PovertyPoverty– Poor working Poor working

conditionsconditions– Lack of modernity Lack of modernity – PogromsPogroms– Totalitarian rule by Totalitarian rule by

Czar Nicholas IICzar Nicholas II– World War IWorld War I

How: Various How: Various revolutionary revolutionary groups rose up and groups rose up and put pressure on put pressure on czar to abdicate czar to abdicate

"Working people arise!" by V. Serov

Abdication and RevolutionAbdication and Revolution

Czar gave up positionCzar gave up position Provisional govt. Provisional govt.

established, but established, but couldn’t address couldn’t address country’s problemscountry’s problems

Vladimir Lenin and Vladimir Lenin and Bolsheviks (a group of Bolsheviks (a group of socialists) wanted full-socialists) wanted full-scale revolution and scale revolution and organized Red Guards organized Red Guards to take over prov. govt. to take over prov. govt.

Lenin’s Slogan- “Land, Peace and Bread”

Civil War in Russia: 1918-Civil War in Russia: 1918-19201920

Lenin & the Bolsheviks’ govt. Lenin & the Bolsheviks’ govt. takeover led to civil wartakeover led to civil war

““Reds” vs. “Whites” (non-Reds” vs. “Whites” (non-communists)communists)– Red Army eventually defeated the Red Army eventually defeated the

WhitesWhites– ≈≈15 million died of war & famine15 million died of war & famine

Formation of the Soviet Union Formation of the Soviet Union (USSR)(USSR)

Lenin became absolute Lenin became absolute ruler and introduced ruler and introduced communist economycommunist economy– Banned most private Banned most private

propertyproperty– Collectivized agricultureCollectivized agriculture

Took land from peasantsTook land from peasants Small farmers (kulaks) Small farmers (kulaks)

resistedresisted Food supply decreasedFood supply decreased

"The dreams of the nation have come true."

Changes in the Soviet Changes in the Soviet Union’s LeadershipUnion’s Leadership

Lenin suffered a stoke Lenin suffered a stoke in 1924- led to debate in 1924- led to debate over who new leader over who new leader would bewould be– Leon Trotsky seen as Leon Trotsky seen as

leading candidate; leading candidate; brilliant and more brilliant and more theoreticaltheoretical

– Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin underestimated; more underestimated; more practical and cunningpractical and cunning

Trotsky (above) Stalin (below)

Joseph Stalin Gains ControlJoseph Stalin Gains Control

Iosif Vissarionovich Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili = Joseph Stalin Dzhugashvili = Joseph Stalin (“Man of Steel”)(“Man of Steel”)– Socialist, arrested repeatedlySocialist, arrested repeatedly– Gained power through Gained power through

involvement in administrative involvement in administrative functions of Communist Partyfunctions of Communist Party

– Allied himself with two other Allied himself with two other powerful leaders to beat powerful leaders to beat TrotskyTrotsky

– Gained full control of govt. in Gained full control of govt. in 19291929

"If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves." -Stalin

Stalin’s Harsh RuleStalin’s Harsh Rule Dictator from 1929-1953Dictator from 1929-1953 Used harsh tactics to root Used harsh tactics to root

out opponents and create a out opponents and create a totalitarian statetotalitarian state– Secret policeSecret police– Purges (political executions)Purges (political executions)– Gulags (slave labor camps)Gulags (slave labor camps)– Propaganda and censorshipPropaganda and censorship

Achieved industrial growth Achieved industrial growth but responsible for death of but responsible for death of 20 million20 million

Effects of Russian Effects of Russian RevolutionRevolution

On Russia:On Russia: Led to Led to

development of development of communist communist economy and some economy and some economic economic developmentdevelopment

Led to Led to totalitarianismtotalitarianism

On Other Places:On Other Places: Inspired Inspired

communist communist revolutions in revolutions in China, Cuba, etc.China, Cuba, etc.

Led to fear of Led to fear of communism in US communism in US and development and development of Cold Warof Cold War