Plato states in The Republic that “[u]ntil philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophize, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide…cities will have no rest from evils…there can be no happiness, either public or private, in any other city” (473c-e). People have known for thousands of years about Plato’s concept of philosopher kings, so why hasn’t there come to be more societies under such rule? George Orwell’s Animal Farm explores the role of leadership within revolutions, and how social revolutions come to fail. The beast fable is a profound allegory of the events surrounding the Russian Revolution of 1917, but there is another layer of significance. Orwell’s farm animals
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The actions of several farm animals demonstrate how the middle-class animals are exploited due to the lack of ethical leadership.
Boxer has the physical power to overthrow the pigs on Animal Farm, but is thoroughly exploited because he is loyal and easily influenced. First of all, Boxer works himself to the point of death because he is convinced he has to. After a number of animals are executed, Boxer believes the only explanation for something like this happening is that he is not working hard enough. He works harder to atone for the sins of the animals and purge himself of evils. Boxer develops a coping mechanism, such that whenever there’s a problem on Animal Farm, he puts in more hours on the field and repeats his maxim “I will work harder!” (Orwell 26). The pigs use Boxer as a prime example of what the others should do, and the other animals admire his strength and work ethic. Boxer receives this positive reinforcement, and pushes himself even harder. The pigs don’t explicitly tell Boxer to work harder and sacrifice his well-being for the greater good of the farm, but they create an environment where the blindly devoted proletariat is guilted into
The actions of several farm animals demonstrate how the middle-class animals are exploited due to the lack of ethical leadership.
Boxer has the physical power to overthrow the pigs on Animal Farm, but is thoroughly exploited because he is loyal and easily influenced. First of all, Boxer works himself to the point of death because he is convinced he has to. After a number of animals are executed, Boxer believes the only explanation for something like this happening is that he is not working hard enough. He works harder to atone for the sins of the animals and purge himself of evils. Boxer develops a coping mechanism, such that whenever there’s a problem on Animal Farm, he puts in more hours on the field and repeats his maxim “I will work harder!” (Orwell 26). The pigs use Boxer as a prime example of what the others should do, and the other animals admire his strength and work ethic. Boxer receives this positive reinforcement, and pushes himself even harder. The pigs don’t explicitly tell Boxer to work harder and sacrifice his well-being for the greater good of the farm, but they create an environment where the blindly devoted proletariat is guilted into