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

The main aim of Marxism is to bring some a crystalizeless society. Thus the reason I chose to study George Orwells carnal Farm is because its characters sh ar (originally) this same ambition. fauna Farm represents the oppressed mess rising up and forming a classless society of their own. While go a critique of communism in general, the withstand excessively serves to act as a mirror of Soviet Russia under Stalin. As reflected by dint ofout the text, it was no secret Orwell considered Russia, and consequently Communism, a counter-revolutionary force that would inevitably make out modify by greed and power.Indeed, perhaps in order to go get along in offering a Marxist reading of the text, it is necessary to roll 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 close to the very beginning of this book it possible to see Orwells criticism of Karl Marx, displayed thro ugh Old Major. Many of the characters in the book symbolize real policy-making figures. Old Major is very much standardized Karl Marx, at condemnations he appears single minded and unrealistic. Before his death Old Major gave an unwavering spoken communication stating no animal should ever touch coin, or engage in trade . This is clearly a direct criticism of Karl Marxs naivety, as shown afterwards through Orwells narration Never to assimilate any dealings with piece beings, never to engage in trade, never to make use of money had these not been among the earliest responses passed at the first triumphant meeting when Jones was expelled?It short becomes clear that Animalism (which bears a striking resemblance to communism) is a system that crappernot be maintained the mien originally int demiseed. The morals that, at first, rule on the farm become controls. The animals effectively split themselves into classes. This class splitting becomes authoritative as normal throug h a process of Hegemony . As set forth by Raymond Williams, hegemony is a form of social control that becomes accepted as normal after becoming the pre governing influence.Indeed the notion of hegemony is nigh relate to a c erstwhilept developed by the French Marxist Louis Althusser. Althussers possibility of Ideological Structures becomes hugely relevant when applied to Orwells political satire. These Ideological structures are effectively institutions that prevent the masses causing a revolution. In the sideslip of religion for instance, a Marxist would betoken that it prevents a revolution by imposing the notion that you will be rewarded in the after-life, for all you fix up with in this life.The manor in which religion is depicted in Animal Farm leads one to think that Orwell was not a oddly 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 t o listen to the rebellious speech given by Old Major, though later preaches just about a magical place for all animals called excoriation Candy Mountain. In Animal Farm the pigs work hard to commute the other animals that Sugar Candy Mountain (heaven) does not exist, though, significantly, this is done before the uprising takes place.This shows a slightly hypocritical side to Marxs work because after the confusion takes place the pigs are keen to enforce their own ideology on to the other animals (proletariat), leading to the important question Is the will of the people also transferred to their leader In this instance the answer seems to be a remindful No. However on second reading, it could be argued that, up until the very flood tide of the book, the animals genuinely 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 procure their top priority ousting man.In this sense they do beco me free (from man at least) and it is only their subsequent inability to wait the prospect of equality that leads to other regime of dictatorship. Although at the same time it cannot be argued that the majority of the animals (or the masses as they appropriately refer to themselves) are do by 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 rootage the animals, in my opinion, are treat worse 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(prenominal) as milk and apples, would be dual-lane 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 sub stances dead 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 better than before. They now comprise under their original judgementl 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 based around the recurring drift to distract the masses from the real (or perhaps relevant) problems that were occurring under communist rule. In naturalism the animals are living under a harsh dictatorship, under the enshroud 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 propitiate in power, while everything will stay natural to the proletariat. Indeed this illusion of democracy is further emphasize d 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 stopcock to reinforce the false class-consciousness It is for your sake that we pigs drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed our duty?Jones would come back Surely comrades certainly 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 colour you like as long as its black Animal Farm can also be linked to another theory. The German philosopher Friedrich Hegel offered the notion that contrasting ideas can be bring about new situations, this is known as the dialectic.Thus, a process whereby contradictions are inseparable to its structure becomes particularly relevant when discussing Animal Farm. Hegels dialectic was constructed around three secernate 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 collapse 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 start 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, significan tly, create is very important and relevant to Orwells satire. 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 active socialist. He did strongly oppose the views of Karl Marx and was not impressed with the idea of communism, but he was equally opposed to the idea of capitalism. Therefore I believe that Animal Farm should not be regarded as the bi-product of the distinctly capitalist society Orwell was a part of. rather I argue that Animal Farm is the consequence of such a system in which Orwell was expected to conform. This would perhaps explain why it took so long to get published society (capitalists and Marxists) was weary.