The Dangers of Totalitarianism Essay example - 1978 Words

After World War I, which led to the overthrow of several monarchs and a complete reshaping of Europe, the political landscape of Europe began to change. Totalitarian fascists, such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Benito Mussolini, of Germany, The Soviet Union, and Italy, rose to power. These leaders created an atmosphere of fear in their respective countries. The only people who were safe were the ones that did not protest at all and just let the dictators lead. Hitler’s rise to power led to World War II, where including the Holocaust, approximately sixty million people died. Sixty million people died, while millions of others silently watched in fear, and in hopes of surviving the genocide. This forever changed the landscape of†¦show more content†¦His new perspective inspires him to question his fellow colleagues, asking them if the world was always like this. His coworkers tell him that it was always like this, starting with the first fireman, Benjamin Franklin . They then got a call and were sent to a house full of books. One of the inhabitants, a woman, refuses to leave, and, as a result, is burned with the books, severely disturbing Montag (Bradbury 32-40). The firemen served as a reminder of what would happen if someone broke a rule. During the Holocaust, if someone a Jewish person was caught, or someone went against Hitler, they would either be instantly killed, or sent to a concentration camp. In Fahrenheit 451, it was close to the same thing. If someone was caught with a book, their house would be burned down and they would either be killed or arrested. However, a very slim percentage of the population had books because they were so afraid of the firemen. Society wiped out something as common as reading through the instillation of fear, which represents how a totalitarian government can accomplish anything, as long as their subjects are terrified of them. Whereas the firemen and mechanical hound were the feared hit men in Fahrenheit 451, the Thought Police were the source of terror in 1984. 1984 is a perfect representation of a totalitarian government. It has a strong central government (The Party), where its head members live luxurious lives. Next, are the normal party members, who live inShow MoreRelatedThe Dangers of Totalitarianism1312 Words   |  6 Pages1984, a book by George Orwell, offers an alternate reality for what the future could have been. The concept of a totalitarian society is but a far off, if not long dead, ideal. In the past totalitarianism was not just an ideal but an actual living, breathing menace to people of the late 1940s. Totalitarian governments would go to horrific lengths in order to sustain and increase their power. In the novels 1984, by George Orwell, and Anthem, by Ayn Rand, propaganda, class distinction, and naivetyRead More Dangers of Totalitarianism in Orwells 1984 Essay1583 Words   |  7 Page sthe land of Oceania are enslaved to the government, most without even realizing it. The Party uses its many members to enforce its methods of control on the population. While a bit extreme, Orwell was attempting to warn people about the dangers of totalitarianism. The story focuses largely on the tactics of the Party?s manipulation. The major aspects of the aforementioned control stratagem are the alterations of history as the wishes, the invention of Newspeak to eliminate any chance of rebellionRead MoreThe Dangers of Totalitarianism: George Orwell Essay1563 Words   |  7 PagesHiding in the shadows yet standing in full view, the signs of totalitarianism and the dangers that accompany it in 1984 are everywhere. Orwell is able to paint a frighteningly realistic picture of the all-consuming monster that is a totalitarian state. It tries to hide its negative traits by covering them up with promising lies that bring a good public image to the state. When a totalitarian style of government is employed, it gains control over every aspect of life for any unlucky citizen or bystanderRead MoreAnimal Farm And George Orwell By George Orwell1034 Words   |  5 PagesNoticing the impact he made, he next took to writing the novel 1984, which similarl y criticized totalitarianism by depicting an overwhelmingly melancholy dystopian society. 1984 achieved similar success and opened the public’s eyes to the dangers of the spread of despotic regimes throughout the world. By examining both Animal Farm and Orwell’s biography, further light is shed onto his belief in the dangers of totalitarian governments as depicted in 1984. Primarily, there were many influential factorsRead MoreGovernment Surveillance And Totalitarianism In George Orwells 19841593 Words   |  7 PagesThe Correlation of Government Surveillance and Totalitarianism in 1984 During the production of 1984, author George Orwell never envisioned a tangible reality housing the society he constructed. He wrote the novel as a warning, a cautious exposà © showing those what could happen if society lost its sense of humanity; housed in a painfully relevant satire of totalitarian barbarism. In his novel 1984, George Orwell addresses the issue of government surveillance through his strategic use of point of viewRead MoreAnimal Farm, By George Orwell1347 Words   |  6 Pagestraits. The windmill reveals the despotic and megalomanic tendencies of the pigs, particularly Napoleon, and the hardworking and naà ¯ve nature of Boxer, the horse. It also brings the themes, such as the abuse of language to bolster power, and the danger of a naà ¯ve working class, to light. Animal Farm’s symbolic windmill certainly functions as a device to draw parallels between the failed communism in the Soviet Union and the failed animalism (the animals’ version of communism) in the Animal FarmRead More George Orwells 1984: Unmasking Totalitarianism1749 Words   |  7 PagesEurope† (Meyers 114). George Orwell through his life experiences and through the accounts of others had seen the dangers of Totalitarianism. In 1984, George Orwell exposed three dangerous aspects of Totalitarianism by showing the oppression of the individuals in the story in order to show the true nature of Totalitarianism. One of the first ways that Orwell exposes Totalitarianism through the oppression of the individual in 1984, is specifically through the books Head party constructing a societyRead MoreTotalitarianism in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell1270 Words   |  5 PagesMany people have sought to evaluate the vulnerabilities associated with states and markets that are under totalitarianism, which is a political system in which the state holds total authority over the society. First developed in 1920 by the Italian fascists, and in particular Benito Mussolini, who ruled Italy for over twenty years, totalitarianism embossed the minds of those who lived under it. This system was conceptualized mainly to highlight the similarities between Nazi Germany and other fascistRead MoreEssay On Totalitarianism 19841300 Words   |  6 PagesAchieving Totalitarianism in 1984 Before the concept of government existed mankind still attempted to gain dominance over one another. Once the concept was developed governments remained consistent in their attempts to gain control of their people and world domination. Adolf Hitler and other dictators were prime examples of totalitarianism â€Å"attempting to control every aspect of its subjects, viewing any sign of independence as treasonous centralized party† ( Quinn 1). Along came â€Å"historical catastrophesRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s 1984 1045 Words   |  5 Pagesserious danger of totalitarianism. The danger that totalitarianism poses to society is greatly demonstrated by Orwell all throughout the novel. Totalitarianism is also a big aspect that touches on the main theme of 1984, and power is also a big platform that the party uses to monitor the behavior of all of its members. By setting 1984 in London, Orwell is able to invoke a real life war-torn society. The creation of 1984 also served as a warning for society and the threat of totalitarianism. The