Introduction
George Orwell’s 1984 novel is a world famous dystopia, the story of a fictional totalitarian state that exists in one of three parts of a war-torn world – Oceania. Orwell was probably inspired by the existing totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy and Russia, writing his novel, which was first published in 1949, a year before the writer’s death. The concept of a dystopian world and the society living in it is Orwell’s vision of the political situation, which he shaped over the years. This paper aims to discuss whether the majority should rule, using the ideas from the George Orwell’s 1984.
The Society in the Novel
The main character of the 1984 novel is Winston Smith, who is in his late 40s and who works in the Ministry of Truth or Minitruth, which is apparently the Ministry of Lies, since the main Winston’s responsibility is to change the titles and texts in the old newspapers according to the newest Party’s orders. Winston lives in an apartment building that is fully bugged and viewable thanks to the TV screens with audio and video surveillance. The versatility of the TV screens is amazing, as they simultaneously broadcast propaganda news and TV shows, and monitor the inhabitants of Oceania.
Winston knows that he is being watched, like all other members of a society in which snitching flourishes and even one’s own children can denounce a person who is then sent to dungeons in the Ministry of Love. Winston feels lonely and alienated, which is not surprising given that he is alienated both from the results of his job and from his co-workers (Kurnianto 12). Only camaraderie is allowed, while friendship and love are strictly forbidden. Winston does not fit the standard, although he has learned to hide his feelings behind an expressionless grimace, worked out by years of being under surveillance. At the beginning of the novel, he begins to have friendly feelings for O’Brian, and a feeling of love for Julia, which inspires him to take the first step in his class struggle and start keeping a Diary.
The story ends with Winston being sent to prison in the Ministry of Love, where he and Julia are subjected to various tortures. Winston is not killed, but ‘re-educated’ to teach him to love Big Brother. The novel ends with the words “He loved Big Brother”, when Winston lovingly looks at the poster located in the cafe under the chestnuts, feeling thrilled while listening to propaganda news about victory in another war (Orwell 266). He is so absorbed in his new feeling that he does not even pay attention to Julia, who is standing a few meters away from him.
In view of the above, it is obvious that for the normal functioning of a society that would be happy and viable, the majority cannot rule. Moreover, the majority does not rule in any society, including the most totalitarian regimes. Orwell says in his novel, “The masses never revolt of their own accord, and never revolt merely because they are oppressed. Indeed, so long as they are not permitted to have standards of comparison, they never even become aware that they are oppressed” (Orwell 183). In other words, the author admits that in the dystopia he created, there is no society as a subject, there is only a society that performs the function of the object of propaganda.
1984 and Our ‘Today’
Orwell wrote 1984 to warn of the threat of totalitarianism and to get his message across to a wider audience. He expressed these ideas in a very colorful way: “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – for ever.” (Orwell 239). In one interview, Orwell also emphasized “I do not think that the kind of society I described will arrive, but that something resembling it could arrive, and that totalitarianism, if not fought against, could triumph anywhere” (“Politics & Totalitarianism”). Therefore, Orwell wanted to warn his contemporaries about the dangers of totalitarianism, and how it is changing society.
Many experts draw parallels between the dystopian realities of 1984 and modern society. For example, Jordan notes that it is impossible to avoid parallels between contemporary issues and the themes covered in the novel (par. 2). As in 1984, members of modern society are under constant surveillance, whether they use social media, credit cards, or GPS in their cars. The government and the police know everything about every person and no one can change this fact.
Considering the above, the majority not only cannot, but should not rule. Of course, the modern world is not as straightforward as the dystopian genre requires. However, we, as a collective people living in a common society should not have the ultimate power of it. Remarkably, democracy, which was invented by the ancient Greeks, and assumed the freedom to choose representatives of government, was based on the fact that only free citizens could vote. At that time, the concept of ‘free citizens’ meant the elite of society – educated and wealthy people who lived in policies. Even the level of freedom that society today has to choose government may seem overwhelming given the wide scope for manipulating public opinion that Facebook and other social platforms provide.
The majority are mass of people, which is something different than the audience, in terms of the mass media. Therefore, the question, whether the majority should rule cannot have a positive answer. The mass audience which can be synonymized to the majority is usually determined as a group of people that have common emotional and intellectual reactions to what they see and here. Not only in 1984 but in real life as well, the majority can be and is manipulated. It is necessary to govern or limit the powers of the majority, as proved by the numerous revolutions globally.
There is a philosophical opinion, that majority and its power are somehow reminding the power of the wild beast, which is not ruled by humanitarian morals and principles. Not only due to the propaganda, but also thanks to its very nature, this ‘beast’ is dangerous, and being set free, it destroys everything rational and civilized. The totalitarian states of the past and present, where the majority rules serve as a good example to support this position.
Thus, it was discussed, whether the majority should rule, using the examples and ideas from the George Orwell’s 1984. Orwell never said that the whole world is a copy of his dystopia. However, the writer warned that part of the nightmare he described in 1984 is true for some countries and may become reality for other. Contemporaries can draw many parallels between the 1984 society and the US society in the 2020s. Media propaganda, history rewriting, and total control and surveillance are a natural and integral part of citizens’ lives. Therefore, in such a society, the majority should not and cannot rule, since such a government could not be authentic.
Works Cited
Jordan, Michael. “Op-Ed: Compare George Orwell’s 1984 to Society Today.” Cape Charles Mirror. 2020. Web.
Kurnianto, Erzal Pratomo. Winston’s Alienation and Class struggle in George Orwell’s 1984. Diss. Diponegoro University, 2018.
Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Oxford University Press, 2021.
“Politics & Totalitarianism. George Orwell.” YouTube, uploaded by Daily Dialektika. 2017. Web.