1984: Chapter 9 The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein

Goldstein’s Book: Why is it important? The book is a manifesto for the Party’s ideology. Overall, Goldstein discusses how the different countries merged or separated and major underlying themes of the government:  Classism  Necessary Ignorance  Poverty  Warfare

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength Classism  According to Goldstein, there is and always will be a class struggle. Societies are and always will be hierarchically divided.  There is a structure for this class struggle and it is consistent throughout history and the present.

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength Society is structured in the following way:  The High o Goal: “Remain where they are.”  The Middle o Goal: “Change places with the high.”  The Low o Goal: “Abolish all distinctions and create a society in which all men should be equal.” o (when they have the notion of anything outside their lives.)

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength The Inner Party is the minority, yet they hold all the power. Fear and manipulation are used to keep those beneath in place. Propaganda creates ignorance, and ignorance means your thoughts are not your own.

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength The High: Inner Party  Meant to be obeyed o Big Brother The Middle: Outer Party  Execute the rules laid down by the Inner Party o Administration The Low: Proles  Do all of the work o With a smile

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength How does the Inner Party keep their power? Through ignorance! Crimestop  The discipline of simply “stopping” any dangerous thought (like hating Big Brother)  “Protective Stupidity”

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength Blackwhite  To any enemy: contradiction of plain facts o You’re wrong because you’re an enemy  To a Party member: If the Party says it is, it is (“… loyal willingness to say black is white.”) o Even if you know it’s wrong! Party rules!

Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength Doublethink  “A continuous alteration of the past”  In order to keep everything in line, we have to change our past.  You let go of unimportant facts, believe lies when you just learned they weren’t right, and overall contradict basic facts o Again, ignorance is bliss for the Party

Chapter 3: War is Peace In this chapter, Winston learns about “the real war” being waged in Oceania. He also learns how the world is divided into different states that are “constantly at war.” But are they really at war?

Chapter 3: War is Peace We have to ask: why is Oceania at war? There is no reason. Each of these states are totalitarian and have no reason to fight each other. But if the people knew that, they’d have a reason to question their government.

Chapter 3: War is Peace War is internal  The Party controls labor and production of goods in order to maintain the hierarchical structure of society.  “War is a way of shattering…materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable…to intelligent.”

Chapter 3: War is Peace Remember: Ignorance is strength. Don’t let the Proles know! Constant war for the majority of society means constant peace for the comfort of the minority in charge.

The Manifesto: What do we learn? Winston remarks that he understands the “how”, but not the “why”? What does this mean?