The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism Emmanuel Goldstein.

The Theory and The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Practice of Oligarchical

CollectivismCollectivism

Emmanuel GoldsteinEmmanuel Goldstein

Who is Emmanuel Who is Emmanuel Goldstein?Goldstein?

Look back at your vocabularyLook back at your vocabulary He was once a high-ranking party He was once a high-ranking party

member until he betrayed the member until he betrayed the partyparty

Now he is supposedly the leader Now he is supposedly the leader of the Resistanceof the Resistance

What is this book?What is this book?

It is a book within a book. Winston It is a book within a book. Winston is reading it in is reading it in 1984 1984 and we are and we are reading what he isreading what he is

It is THE book of the ResistanceIt is THE book of the Resistance Every member of the Brotherhood is Every member of the Brotherhood is

supposed to read itsupposed to read it Winston tells Julia she has to read it, Winston tells Julia she has to read it,

but she asks Winston to read it to her but she asks Winston to read it to her insteadinstead

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength Since the beginning of civilization, Since the beginning of civilization,

there has been three kinds of there has been three kinds of people:people:– The high, the middle, and the lowThe high, the middle, and the low– They have been divided in many ways, They have been divided in many ways,

had many ways, and tried to rebelhad many ways, and tried to rebel– After the upheaval ends, we are always After the upheaval ends, we are always

left with these three kinds of people left with these three kinds of people againagain

**Winston stops reading here and jumps ahead to chapter 3Winston stops reading here and jumps ahead to chapter 3

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The splitting up of the world into The splitting up of the world into

three great superstates was three great superstates was foreseen before the middle of the foreseen before the middle of the 2020thth century century– Europe had been absorbed by Russia Europe had been absorbed by Russia

forming Eurasiaforming Eurasia– The British Empire had been absorbed The British Empire had been absorbed

by the United States forming Oceaniaby the United States forming Oceania– Eastasia emerged after another decade Eastasia emerged after another decade

of confused fightingof confused fighting

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace In one combination or another, these In one combination or another, these

three superstates are permanently at three superstates are permanently at war, and have been so for the past 25 war, and have been so for the past 25 yearsyears

It is a warfare of limited aims between It is a warfare of limited aims between combatants who are unable to destroy combatants who are unable to destroy one another, have no material cause one another, have no material cause for fighting, and are not divided by any for fighting, and are not divided by any genuine ideological differencegenuine ideological difference

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The war involves very small numbers The war involves very small numbers

of people, mostly highly trained of people, mostly highly trained specialists, and causes comparatively specialists, and causes comparatively few casualtiesfew casualties

None of the three superstates could be None of the three superstates could be definitely conquered even by the other definitely conquered even by the other two in combination – they are too two in combination – they are too evenly matched and their natural evenly matched and their natural defenses are too formidabledefenses are too formidable

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace Between the frontiers of the three Between the frontiers of the three

superstates, and not permanently in superstates, and not permanently in the possession of any of them , there the possession of any of them , there is a rough quadrilateral with its corners is a rough quadrilateral with its corners at Tangier, Brazzaville, Darwin, and at Tangier, Brazzaville, Darwin, and Hong Kong containing about 1/5 of the Hong Kong containing about 1/5 of the population of the worldpopulation of the world

It is for the possession of these thickly It is for the possession of these thickly populated regions and of the northern populated regions and of the northern ice cap that the three powers are ice cap that the three powers are constantly strugglingconstantly struggling

1984 Map1984 Map

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The primary aim of modern The primary aim of modern

warfare is to use up the products warfare is to use up the products of the machine without raising of the machine without raising the general standard of livingthe general standard of living

As a whole, the world is more As a whole, the world is more primitive than it was 50 years agoprimitive than it was 50 years ago

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace From the moment the machine made its From the moment the machine made its

first appearance it was clear to all first appearance it was clear to all thinking people that the need for human thinking people that the need for human drudgery, and therefore to a great drudgery, and therefore to a great extent for human inequity had extent for human inequity had disappeared disappeared

If the machine were deliberately used If the machine were deliberately used for that end, hunger, overwork, dirt, for that end, hunger, overwork, dirt, illiteracy, and disease could be illiteracy, and disease could be eliminated within a few generations.eliminated within a few generations.

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The machine did raise the The machine did raise the

standard of living of the average standard of living of the average human being very greatly over a human being very greatly over a period of about fifty years at the period of about fifty years at the end of the 19end of the 19thth and beginning of and beginning of the 20the 20thth century century

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace If leisure and security were enjoyed by If leisure and security were enjoyed by

all alike, the great mass of human all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it awaythey would sweep it away

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The essential act of war is destruction, The essential act of war is destruction,

not necessarily of human lives, but of not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human laborthe products of human labor

War is a way of shattering to pieces , or War is a way of shattering to pieces , or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligentthe long run, too intelligent

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The humblest party member is The humblest party member is

expected to be competent and expected to be competent and industrious.industrious.

He should also be an ignorant fanaticHe should also be an ignorant fanatic It does not matter whether the war is It does not matter whether the war is

going well or badly – all that is going well or badly – all that is needed is that a state of war should needed is that a state of war should existexist

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The two aims of the party:The two aims of the party:

– To conquer the whole surface of the To conquer the whole surface of the earthearth

– To extinguish once and for all the To extinguish once and for all the possibility of independent thoughtpossibility of independent thought

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace All three powers continue to produce All three powers continue to produce

atomic bombs and store them up but atomic bombs and store them up but don’t use themdon’t use them

War has remained the same for 30-40 War has remained the same for 30-40 years years – Helicopters still usedHelicopters still used– Bombing planes have been replaced by self-Bombing planes have been replaced by self-

propelled projectilespropelled projectiles– Tank, torpedo, submarine, rifle, hand Tank, torpedo, submarine, rifle, hand

grenade still in usegrenade still in use

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace All three superstates need to make All three superstates need to make

sure there is no contact with foreigners sure there is no contact with foreigners because they would realize that they because they would realize that they are all similar and have been told liesare all similar and have been told lies

The conditions of life in all three The conditions of life in all three superstates are very much the samesuperstates are very much the same– Political systems similarPolitical systems similar– Similar ruling groupsSimilar ruling groups

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The war is waged by each ruling The war is waged by each ruling

group against its own subjects and group against its own subjects and the object of war is not to make or the object of war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society in tactkeep the structure of society in tact

This is the meaning of “War is This is the meaning of “War is Peace”Peace”

At this point Winston goes back to Chapter 1At this point Winston goes back to Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

Back to the three groups (upper, Back to the three groups (upper, middle, and lower classes)middle, and lower classes)

They have always had the same They have always had the same purposespurposes– Upper – Stay where they areUpper – Stay where they are– Middle – Change places with the upperMiddle – Change places with the upper– Lower – Create a society in which Lower – Create a society in which

everyone is equaleveryone is equal

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

With the development of machines it With the development of machines it was no longer necessary to have the was no longer necessary to have the classes anymore – there was enough classes anymore – there was enough of everything for everyone to be of everything for everyone to be wealthywealthy– But the upper class wouldn’t allow thisBut the upper class wouldn’t allow this

The advances in technology also The advances in technology also allowed people to be under constant allowed people to be under constant surveillance surveillance

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

Each of the three superstates Each of the three superstates cannot be conquered except cannot be conquered except through slow demographic through slow demographic changes which a government with changes which a government with wide powers can easily avertwide powers can easily avert

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

Problem is overproduction – need Problem is overproduction – need to keep the lower classes needyto keep the lower classes needy

War uses up goods and takes War uses up goods and takes care of the surpluscare of the surplus

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

Big Brother:Big Brother:– InfallibleInfallible– All powerfulAll powerful– All good things are because of his All good things are because of his

leadershipleadership– He will never die – no one knows when He will never die – no one knows when

he was bornhe was born– He is the guise in which the Party He is the guise in which the Party

chooses to represent itself to the chooses to represent itself to the worldworld

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

In Oceania there is no lawIn Oceania there is no law Thoughts and actions which, when Thoughts and actions which, when

detected, mean certain death are NOT detected, mean certain death are NOT formally forbidden, and the endless formally forbidden, and the endless purges, arrests, tortures, purges, arrests, tortures, imprisonments, and vaporizations are imprisonments, and vaporizations are not inflicted as punishments for crimes not inflicted as punishments for crimes which have actually been committed, which have actually been committed, but are merely the wiping-out of but are merely the wiping-out of persons who might perhaps commit a persons who might perhaps commit a crime at some time in the futurecrime at some time in the future

Chapter 1 – Ignorance Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Strengthis Strength

The contradictions in the The contradictions in the government are necessary so government are necessary so that the government can retain that the government can retain power foreverpower forever

The entire government depends The entire government depends on on doublethinkdoublethink