1. Orwell’s Animal Farm & The Russian Revolution
Miss Kirby

2. Russian Society
Russia was in an appalling state of poverty while the Tsar lived in luxury. There was tremendous dissatisfaction
Majority of the population were peasants and society was far behind contemporary, modern, industrial western states

3. Tsar Nicholas II A poor leader at best, compared to western leaders
Cruel - sometimes brutal with opponents
Sometimes “kind” - hired students as spies to make $
Indecisive and was not effective
Not fit to rule

4. Nicholas II
Believed he was the unquestionable leader of Russia appointed by God.
Had unarmed protesters murdered in the streets in 1905.

5. THE FATHER OF COMMUNISM
KARL MARX:
THE FATHER OF COMMUNISM
Marx's criticism focused on the dominant political and economic system of his time, known as "capitalism." Germany, the United States, and England were powerful nations that lived under this system, and they were exporting it--sometimes by force--over the face of the globe. Capitalism encourages competition between its citizens, and provides rewards in an unequal way. Capitalist nations defended this distribution of goods on the grounds that the factory owners had often taken risks, or mastered skills, that the meat-packer had not. Therefore, the factory owner deserved the extra benefits
The capitalist nations, he argued, allowed the wealthy few to amass huge fortunes, while the numerous poor toiled in unsafe factories for low wages, lived in wretched filth, and died before their time. Worse still, the rich denied equal opportunity to the poor, hoarding goods and reserving advantages like education and health care for themselves. Vast mansions existed alongside tenement-houses; in the one, every possible luxury could be found and every need was met, while next door whole families stuffed themselves into single rooms and ate meager rations. How could it be fair that the wealthy few had extra millions in the bank, while the masses struggled to survive, or starved to death?
Marx spoke of the dawning of a new social order based on the equal distribution of wealth and possessions among a nation's citizenry. In such a society, Marx theorized, tranquil relations would prevail between all men and women, and age-old problems like poverty, ignorance, and starvation would vanish. The rich would be compelled to yield their surplus to the poor, and individuals would produce according to their abilities, and consume according to their needs. Everyone would have what they needed, and no one citizen would possess more than another.
Casting his eye back across the arc of history, he asserted that in every era the same fundamental conflict emerged: The few well-placed and powerful sought to maintain their wealth by actively suppressing the natural desires of the many poor. These cruel circumstances were hard to change because the rich had no reason to share, and possessed the means by which to control the impoverished masses. The sheer numbers of the downtrodden represented a definitive advantage, however, and a declaration of war on their part would resolve the dispute. Marx took the view that it was the destiny of history itself that this battle should take place, and that the victorious poor would usher in an age of justice and equality.

6. Marx believed that the private ownership of land must be abolished.

7. Marx
Believed in “Communal” way of life where everyone shares in prosperity.

8. Marx
Invented Communism
“Workers of the world unite", take over gov't
Dies before Russian Revolution

9. Communism arose in Russia when Lenin and the Bolsheviks led the nation’s workers & peasants to rebel against, and overthrow the wealthy and powerful class of capitalists & aristocrats.

10. Government owns everything, People own government
Communism
All people equal
Government owns everything, People own government

11. Lenin
Lenin adopted Marx’s ideas. He believed that the bourgeoisie (middle class) exploited the workers and must therefore be overthrown.

12. Lenin
Lenin understood the emotional impact of simple, powerful slogans like workers of the world unite
When Lenin died, there was a power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin.
It is believed Lenin ordered Nicholas II murdered

13. Leon Trotsky
One of the leaders of "October Revolution“ along with Lenin and Stalin
Believed in “pure” communism, followed Marx
Wanted to spread communism and revolution all over the world

14. Trotsky
Trotsky was a brilliant speaker. With Lenin he succeeded in overthrowing the government in October Lenin was the President, Trotsky the Commissar for Foreign Affairs (head of a government department).

15. Favored world revolution Wanted to improve life for all in Russia
Trotsky
Favored world revolution
Wanted to improve life for all in Russia
Chased away by Stalin's KGB (Lenin's secret police)

16. Civil War
From 1918 –1921 there was civil war. Foreign countries including Britain, France, Poland and USA were alarmed at the spread of communism but the Red Army (the Bolsheviks) led by Trotsky proved successful.

17. Stalin continually opposed Trotsky
Wanted to have "socialism in one country," collectivization of agriculture, industrialization

18. Joseph Stalin Average speaker, not educated like Trotsky
Didn't exactly follow Marx's ideas
Craved power, willing to kill for it.
Used KGB and propaganda

19. Propaganda Department of Stalin’s government
Worked for Stalin to support his image
Lied to convince the people to follow Stalin

20. Stalin takes Control
In his sinister way, Stalin secured his power base, and engineered the permanent exile of Trotsky in 1929.
The exiled Trotsky was still very useful to Stalin as he now had Trotsky to blame for all the problems and difficulties that Russia suffered

21. Politburo:
This was the policy-making body of the Communist party’s Central Committee. In reality it was merely a force to carry out Stalin’s orders and secure his position as dictator.
Stalin and only a few (the party), an oligarchy (a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class), held the power

22. Cheka/OGPU/NKVD/KGB :
These were the various names/ initials given to the secret police during Stalin’s dictatorship.
Not really police, but forced all to support Stalin
Used force, often killed entire families for disobedience

23. Stalin’s View on Religion
Cult of personality replacing the church to idolize Stalin and Lenin
Hated church, atheist
Hated internal enemies; anyone who went against Stalin or the cause was an enemy and needed to be eliminated/always worried about his power and position

24. Dedicated, but tricked communist supporters
People believed Stalin because he was "Communist"
Many stayed loyal after it was obvious Stalin was a tyrant (dictator)
Betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them

25. Overall details of Russian Revolution
Attempt to overthrow old order and create a new society
Supposed to fix problems from Tsar
Life was even worse long after revolution
Those in the party, who had connections to the leadership, experienced an improvement in quality of life but the purges and forced industrialization and collectivization killed/affected many citizens
Stalin made Tsar look like a nice guy

26. Kulaks :
These were the land-owning peasants who did not want their farms to be collectivized after the revolution. From 1929, Stalin began to exterminate them as a class.

27. 5 Year Plans
From , new economic plans, called the five-year plans, were introduced. The purpose was to improve industry

28. Animal Farm By George Orwell Allegory - Satire - Fable
“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

29. ( )

30. George Orwell and His Beliefs
Orwell was a person who had a reputation for standing apart and even making a virtue of his detachment.
This “outsider” position often led him to oppose the crowd.
Orwell’s beliefs about politics were affected by his experiences fighting in the Spanish Civil War.
He viewed socialists, communists, and fascists as repressive and self-serving.
He was skeptical of governments and their willingness to forsake ideas in favor of power.
Interesting Fact:
George Orwell’s real name was Eric Blair.

31. Orwell was a Socialist
Socialist: someone who believes that the government should own businesses so that everyone will be equal

32. in which separate classes
He desired a society
in which separate classes
would not exist.

33. Two Things That
Influenced Orwell
To Write
Animal Farm:
His hatred for:
Injustice
Political Lying

34. It's a Fable It's an Allegory
Most fables have two levels of meaning. On the surface, the fable is about animals. But on a second level, the animals stand for types of people or ideas. The way the animals interact and the way the plot unfolds says something about the nature of people or the value of ideas. Any type of fiction that has multiple levels of meaning in this way is called an allegory.

35. It's a Satire
A composition making fun of something, usually political.
Animal Farm makes fun of political society after the Bolshevik Revolution.

36. Why Animals?
In explaining how he came to write Animal Farm, Orwell says he once saw a little boy whipping a horse and later he wrote,
“It struck me that if only such animals became aware of their strength we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the [worker].”

37. What is Animal Farm?
A masterpiece of political satire, Animal Farm is a tale of oppressed individuals who long for freedom but ultimately are corrupted by assuming the very power that had originally oppressed them.
The story traces the deplorable conditions of mistreated animals who can speak and who exhibit many human characteristics. After extreme negligence by their owner, the animals revolt and expel Mr. Jones and his wife from the farm.
The tale of the society the animals form into a totalitarian regime is generally viewed as Orwell's critique of the communist system in the former Soviet Union.
Interesting Fact: Orwell initially struggled to find a publisher for Animal Farm.

38. Themes Freedom & individual dignity must be guarded very carefully.
2. Language is a powerful tool; used improperly, it can enslave and confuse us.
3. Weakness can be dominated by strength, fear, and trickery.
4. Hope and vision must be kept alive, or we might live like the animals of Manor Farm.

39. Who is Who Mr. Jones (drunk, poor farmer)- Czar Nicholas II
Old Major (elderly show pig)- Lenin
Snowball (clever pig)- Trotsky
Napoleon (pig with a gift for techniques of control)- Stalin

40. Major’s Skull-Lenin’s Body Battle of the Cowshed- Russian Civil War
Who is Who
Dogs-KGB
Windmill- 5 year plan
Major’s Skull-Lenin’s Body
Battle of the Cowshed- Russian Civil War

41. Who is Who Frederick- Hitler Animal Executions – Stalin’s Purge
Battle of the Windmill – World War II
Card Game- Tehran Conference
Pilkington- FDR