HOW DO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS MAINTAIN POWER OVER OTHERS IN SOCIETY?
INTRODUCTION
Individuals and groups exert control and dominance over society in order to maintain their power. Power is defined in the Oxford dictionary as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others.” Maintaining power can be difficult, though there are many techniques and specific ideas to assist in both gaining and upholding power. These include education, demeanour, fear and violence, overthrowing your opposition, manipulation, and finding common ground with those who you lead. The book ‘Animal Farm’ written by George Orwell, based on the Russian revolution, and the DreamWorks film ‘Antz’ demonstrate these techniques, as methods of maintaining …show more content…
For example, a common enemy; A common enemy can be used to unite society with their leaders, as both leaders and followers would want the enemy to be eradicated. In the book Animal Farm, Orwell demonstrates how the fear an enemy brings with them, can have an enormous effect on society. For the animals, the main enemy is Jones, and Napoleon knows and uses this against them multiple times throughout the book. Whenever they question him, Jones coming back is always the first thing that comes to the animals’ minds. And if they forget, Squealer, Napoleons right hand man is there to intervene and say, “Jones would come back”. Or “Surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?” As well as the clear use of repetition here, this also forces the animals to believe that life is better with Napoleon and the pigs leading them. This illustrates the use of a common enemy to maintain power very effectively. A common goal for a leader and those he or she leads can also be an effective way to maintain power. It can be used as a manipulation tool to get people to follow your demands. For instance, in the DreamWorks film Antz, General Mandible has manipulated the ants into thinking that they must constantly work, and so without question, the ants do so. “Look I got orders and those orders say dig” – Foreman. The effect this technique has on society, is …show more content…
Overthrowing your opposition can be a crucial method when it comes to maintaining power as you are then without a doubt, the undisputed leader. Animal Farm illustrates how well this method works in various parts throughout the book. Napoleon eliminates anyone who poses a threat to his leadership, the four young porkers for example, were forced to confess to a crime they did not commit, and then executed for it. The hens died of starvation because Napoleon took away their rations after they refused to give him their eggs, and Snowball was banished from the farm, because he was Napoleons biggest rival. Snowball for example, was Napoleons biggest rival, and so therefore expelling him from the farm would then rid Napoleon’s main contender for power, and he would also gain Snowball’s followers. “Nine enormous dogs…dashed straight for Snowball…he was seen no more” After Snowball is exiled; Napoleon takes over the farm and becomes a tyrannical leader, turning animal farm into a totalitarianism society. As well as this, from that point onwards, he uses Snowball as an excuse for anything that goes wrong. This then makes the animals that used to follow Snowball, believe that he is evil, and that Napoleon has done them a favour by exiling him. He has maintained and also strengthened his power over the animals, as they now
INTRODUCTION
Individuals and groups exert control and dominance over society in order to maintain their power. Power is defined in the Oxford dictionary as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others.” Maintaining power can be difficult, though there are many techniques and specific ideas to assist in both gaining and upholding power. These include education, demeanour, fear and violence, overthrowing your opposition, manipulation, and finding common ground with those who you lead. The book ‘Animal Farm’ written by George Orwell, based on the Russian revolution, and the DreamWorks film ‘Antz’ demonstrate these techniques, as methods of maintaining …show more content…
For example, a common enemy; A common enemy can be used to unite society with their leaders, as both leaders and followers would want the enemy to be eradicated. In the book Animal Farm, Orwell demonstrates how the fear an enemy brings with them, can have an enormous effect on society. For the animals, the main enemy is Jones, and Napoleon knows and uses this against them multiple times throughout the book. Whenever they question him, Jones coming back is always the first thing that comes to the animals’ minds. And if they forget, Squealer, Napoleons right hand man is there to intervene and say, “Jones would come back”. Or “Surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?” As well as the clear use of repetition here, this also forces the animals to believe that life is better with Napoleon and the pigs leading them. This illustrates the use of a common enemy to maintain power very effectively. A common goal for a leader and those he or she leads can also be an effective way to maintain power. It can be used as a manipulation tool to get people to follow your demands. For instance, in the DreamWorks film Antz, General Mandible has manipulated the ants into thinking that they must constantly work, and so without question, the ants do so. “Look I got orders and those orders say dig” – Foreman. The effect this technique has on society, is …show more content…
Overthrowing your opposition can be a crucial method when it comes to maintaining power as you are then without a doubt, the undisputed leader. Animal Farm illustrates how well this method works in various parts throughout the book. Napoleon eliminates anyone who poses a threat to his leadership, the four young porkers for example, were forced to confess to a crime they did not commit, and then executed for it. The hens died of starvation because Napoleon took away their rations after they refused to give him their eggs, and Snowball was banished from the farm, because he was Napoleons biggest rival. Snowball for example, was Napoleons biggest rival, and so therefore expelling him from the farm would then rid Napoleon’s main contender for power, and he would also gain Snowball’s followers. “Nine enormous dogs…dashed straight for Snowball…he was seen no more” After Snowball is exiled; Napoleon takes over the farm and becomes a tyrannical leader, turning animal farm into a totalitarianism society. As well as this, from that point onwards, he uses Snowball as an excuse for anything that goes wrong. This then makes the animals that used to follow Snowball, believe that he is evil, and that Napoleon has done them a favour by exiling him. He has maintained and also strengthened his power over the animals, as they now