Essay On Totalitarianism In 1984
Joseph Stalin was known to rule his people through fear and violence. People were afraid of making even the smallest mistake as they knew the punishment was to be placed in work camps or possibly death. No one was able to rise up against Stalin since they would immediately be killed or tortured. Constant paranoia surfaced as people knew that any person be working for the government or turn them in to the government at any time. Orwell based his concept of the Ministry of Love on these Soviet Union conditions. The Ministry of Love maintained law and order in Oceania and is responsible for the punishments associated with rebellion and thoughtcrime. Winston says, “The Ministry of Love was the real frightening one…It was a place impossible to enter except on official business, and then only by penetrating through a maze of barbed wire, entanglements, steel doors, and hidden machine-gun nests.” The party maintained power through fear of the punishment associated with rebellion, similar to Joseph Stalin. Orwell wanted to express how scared people were of the government under a totalitarian regime and the cruel nature of its punishments. For example, Winston is arrested by the Party and endures constant torture until all thoughts of rebellion are eliminated. Winston releases all individual thoughts for fear of retribution. Orwell does this to show his audience the fearful future that awaits them under a nation completely controlled by the