Chapter Six: 1984 by George Orwell: How the World Really Works by Alan B. Jones from Third World Traveler

Chapter Six: 1984 by George Orwell: How the World Really Works by Alan B. Jones from Third World Traveler

from the book
1984
by George Orwell
1949

p123
from 1984

If leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance.

p124
During the consolidation of power stage [of a state, non-state] sources of public information [are] suppressed, guaranteeing the future uniformity of public opinion on all matters of significance [to the new ruling elite].

p125
from 1984

A ruling group is a ruling group so long as it can nominate its successors. The Party is not concerned with perpetuating its blood but with perpetuating itself. Who wields power is not important, provided that the hierarchical structure remains always the same.

p127
How does continuous war act to keep the Lows "stupefied by poverty" and thereby assure the maintenance of the social structure? The goal of the wars is to enable the economy to be kept going for the benefit of the High, its military, and its bureaucracy and control personnel (the Thought Police, etc.), but at the same time to assure that any excess production capacity is prevented from producing consumer goods for the lower classes. That excess capacity is instead directed to producing excess military goods which will ' ultimately rust away or be destroyed in warfare; that is, the excess capacity is deliberately wasted in order to turn it away from the production of goods which would result in added leisure or well-being for the lower classes. Those classes are instead continually forced into group activities expressing hatred toward the current enemy (any enemy) and dependency upon and love toward their benevolent rulers for protecting them from that enemy. They are thereby led to accept the consumer shortages, the poverty, and the other privations to which they are subjected. Their economic status is kept at the subsistence level, forcing their priorities to be focused on simply acquiring basic food, clothing, and shelter. They are thus denied either the time or the inclination to question the fairness or permanence of their societal condition, or to otherwise evolve into a threat to the established hierarchy.

p128
from 1984

What is our motive? Why should we want power? He then proceeds to answer is own question: "The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness; only power, pure power .... Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship .... The object of power is power ....

p129
from 1984

The real power, the power we have to fight for night and day, is not power over things, but over men .... [And] how does one man assert his power over another?" He answers his own question: "By making him suffer. Obedience is not enough. Unless he is suffering, how can you be sure that he is obeying your will and not his own? Power is in inflicting pain and humiliation. Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing. In our world there will be no emotions except fear, rage, triumph, and self-abasement. Everything else we shall destroy - everything.

p129
from 1984

If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.