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Animal Farm: Rediscovering socialism

"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." So ends George OrwellReal name Eric Arthur Blair, a world-renowned 20th-century novelist, most famous for his political novels Animal Farm and 1984.'s 1945 novellaA long short story or short novel., Animal Farm, an allegoricalSymbolic or metaphorical. A narrative in which a character, place, or event is used to tell a broader message about real-world issues. "fairy story" which criticises the devastating corruptionWhen someone abuses their power for personal gain. It often involves bribery. and hypocrisy of the Soviet UnionOfficially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). A powerful group of communist republics, the biggest being Russia, that existed from 1922 to 1991. (USSR) under the CommunistAn economic system entailing collective ownership of all means of production in contrast with capitalism, which holds that industry and businesses are controlled and run for profit by private owners rather than by the government. dictator Joseph Stalin. Stalin began as a revolutionary socialistA term used to describe a range of beliefs that stress collective control of economic processes. In the USA, it usually refers to a group of people who think that the USA ought to be more like European countries, offering universal healthcare, a higher minimum wage, and stronger workers' rights. who played a key role in overthrowing the Russian monarchy in 1917, an event which is mirrored by the rebellion against Jones in Animal Farm. Like socialism, "Animalism" presents an idealistic vision of an equal society with a fair distribution of wealth and labour. Stalin quickly rose through the political ranks, and eventually took power after exilingForcing someone to leave their country, often for political reasons. his more idealistic opponent, Leon TrotskyA prominent 20th Century Russian revolutionary and politician.. In the novella, the powerful pig Napoleon uses similar tactics to get rid of his rival Snowball. But the horrors of Stalin's USSR were not fiction: tens of millions of people were killed, from ordinary workers to members of the government who Stalin believed might oppose his leadership. Many cite the USSR and other failed Communist states as proof that socialism cannot work in practice. However, throughout Europe, parties with socialist principles have witnessed a surge of support. In Greece, for example, the left-wing coalition Syriza spent the first half of 2015 attempting to negotiate its way out of right-wing austerityWhen the government cuts down on public spending.  policies, an ambition which was supported by 60% of its voters in a referendumA direct vote by the population of a country on a particular law or issue. in July. More recently, the UK's Labour leadership race has witnessed the rising popularity of the "veteran" left-wing candidate Jeremy CorbynA British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020., who argues in favour of ending austerity, nationalisingBringing into state or public ownership. railways, and scrapping the UK's nuclear programme. As Corbyn's poll numbers climb, the possibility of a socialist opposition party has become increasingly likely. Somewhat ironically, Animal Farm is a story about human nature. One interpretation of the novel argues that humanity's love of power and greed will always be its downfall, and socialism is doomed to fail because of it. However good-hearted the intentions of ordinary workers, it only takes a few powerful people to exploit and oppress them. But society has learned from the mistakes of the 20th Century, socialist supporters argue. Orwell was criticising the corruption of an elite who had hijacked socialism for their own ends. Jeremy Corbyn and Syriza's Alexis Tsipras are democrats who can be voted out again if people change their minds. Economic inequality is rising, and many feel a growing desire for change — socialism might be the answer. Word Watch Communist: This political system is the most revolutionary and authoritarian form of socialism, in which everything is owned by the people, managed by the state, and distributed according to need. In theory, this removes the need for unequal class systems. In practice, it has led to low motivation and widespread poverty. Socialist: This is the ideology from which Communism was born. Socialists oppose capitalism, in which individuals' wealth determines their quality of life. Under socialism, the government is responsible for reducing inequality. This has various interpretations; free healthcare and education are socialist ideas used in capitalist countries. Tens of millions: It is unclear how many people were killed; estimates range from 34 to 59 million. Austerity: After the 2008 financial crash, most countries reduced spending to avoid disaster. But how far should austerity measures go? Right-wing politicians argue that governments should not spend more than they earn, and cut spending accordingly. The left argues that economies cannot grow if cuts lead to inadequate public spending. Q & A Isn't the Soviet Union over? It's true: in 1991, the Soviet Union officially collapsed and 15 independent countries were established - including Russia. But like all of history, there are lessons which can be learnt, and Animal Farm does a particularly effective job of articulating the hypocrisy and tyrannyCruel and aggressive use of power, often used to describe countries under the grip of a single oppressive leader. of Stalin's regime. Could Corbyn become prime minister? At the time of writing, he is leading the Labour leadership polls with 42% of the votes — a huge number for a race with four contenders. But while he is popular with Labour voters, he's unpopular with Labour MPs — some even fear that the party could split under his leadership. Even if he won, few believe he would last until the general election in 2020.KeywordsGeorge Orwell - Real name Eric Arthur Blair, a world-renowned 20th-century novelist, most famous for his political novels Animal Farm and 1984.

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