Utilitarianism In 1984

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The novel, 1984 by George Orwell, showcases the community Oceania through a hierarchy of three distinct classes: the Party, Outer Party, and Proles. The system this novel displays is an authoritarian government with the figurehead being Big Brother. The Party has the authority to make decisions on war, food rationing, surveillance, economic distribution, criminal trials, and many other policies through its accumulated power. However, this system has evolved into a dictatorship that requires obedience and unwavering loyalty from the working classes to the corrupt government. The book, 1984, showcases the power of the Party by describing the exploited life of the Outer Party and Proles, explaining changes in historical documentation, and displaying …show more content…
When the stakes of politics are as high, such unity of action and purpose can be quite important” (Needham). The topic this article expands on is the thought behind the beginning of a revolution. When a group is aware of political oppression, the fear of being defeated vanishes because the chance of success is a plausible reality. With the discovery of apparent disadvantages in the socio-economic system, a forceful uprising could bring down Big Brother and rob the Party of its luxurious and powerful lifestyles. However, because the government represented in 1984 is so corrupt, policies are implemented to make sure there are no possible ways to ruin Oceania’s standing social structure. Requirements like training oneself to abandon the use of Oldspeak and, instead, use Newspeak. Newspeak is the updated dictionary that includes fewer words, as well as words that avoid any definitions of revolution or independence. Additional policies are set like the use of doublethink that is encouraged by the government to persuade the citizens of Oceania to only consider ideas that are approved by the Party. Contemplating why there is a need for the destruction of historical documents or …show more content…
The novel explains that Thought Police roam the nation of Oceania looking for any peculiar conversations, glances, or actions among the citizens. The Party even encourages children to report suspicious behavior of parents. If the Thought Police, telescreens, or children witness rebellious behavior in a citizen, the violator is given over to the government and is sent to the Ministry of Love - the location of the Party’s ultimate torture. An article discusses the rise of an oppressive force, as well as the upbringing of a group wanting to stop the autocratic control by stating, “Consider the failure of democracy around the world, even as the ecological holocaust races in slow motion toward its tipping points; and on the other hand, the simultaneous rise of the one thing that might enable a worldwide effort to prevent a crisis from becoming a catastrophe” (Youngblood). In the book’s scenario, there are opposing efforts fighting for the power to govern the nation. Both want to end friction between the competitors and have one dominating group. However, because both are continually fighting to gain control, there is a never-ceasing battle for ultimate political power. The book explores the theme that because the Party has deeply considered its power, it has created a fake rebellion to further exploit control over the citizens of Oceania in

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