The Theory and Practice The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical of Oligarchical

CollectivismCollectivism

Emmanuel GoldsteinEmmanuel Goldstein

Who is Emmanuel Who is Emmanuel Goldstein?Goldstein? He was once a high-ranking party He was once a high-ranking party

member until he betrayed the partymember until he betrayed the party Now he is supposedly the leader of Now he is supposedly the leader of

the Resistancethe Resistance

What is this book?What is this book?

It is a book within a book. Winston is It is a book within a book. Winston is reading it in reading it in 1984 1984 and we are reading and we are reading what he iswhat he is

It is THE book of the ResistanceIt is THE book of the Resistance Every member of the Brotherhood is Every member of the Brotherhood is

supposed to read itsupposed to read it Winston tells Julia she has to read it, but Winston tells Julia she has to read it, but

she asks Winston to read it to her insteadshe asks Winston to read it to her instead

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength Since the beginning of civilization, Since the beginning of civilization,

there has been three kinds of people:there has been three kinds of people:– The high, the middle, and the lowThe high, the middle, and the low– They have been divided in many ways, They have been divided in many ways,

had many ways, and tried to rebelhad many ways, and tried to rebel– After the upheaval ends, we are always After the upheaval ends, we are always

left with these three kinds of people againleft with these three kinds of people again**Winston stops reading here and jumps ahead to chapter 3Winston stops reading here and jumps ahead to chapter 3

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The splitting up of the world into three The splitting up of the world into three

great superstates was foreseen before great superstates was foreseen before the middle of the 20the middle of the 20 thth century century– Europe had been absorbed by Russia Europe had been absorbed by Russia

forming Eurasiaforming Eurasia– The British Empire had been absorbed by The British Empire had been absorbed by

the United States forming Oceaniathe United States forming Oceania– Eastasia emerged after another decade Eastasia emerged after another decade

of confused fightingof confused fighting

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace In one combination or another, these three In one combination or another, these three

superstates are permanently at war, and superstates are permanently at war, and have been so for the past 25 yearshave been so for the past 25 years

It is a warfare of limited aims between It is a warfare of limited aims between combatants who are unable to destroy one combatants who are unable to destroy one another, have no material cause for fighting, another, have no material cause for fighting, and are not divided by any genuine and are not divided by any genuine ideological differenceideological difference

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The war involves very small numbers of The war involves very small numbers of

people, mostly highly trained specialists, people, mostly highly trained specialists, and causes comparatively few casualtiesand causes comparatively few casualties

None of the three superstates could be None of the three superstates could be definitely conquered even by the other two definitely conquered even by the other two in combination – they are too evenly in combination – they are too evenly matched and their natural defenses are too matched and their natural defenses are too formidableformidable

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace Between the frontiers of the three Between the frontiers of the three

superstates, and not permanently in the superstates, and not permanently in the possession of any of them , there is a rough possession of any of them , there is a rough quadrilateral with its corners at Tangier, quadrilateral with its corners at Tangier, Brazzaville, Darwin, and Hong Kong Brazzaville, Darwin, and Hong Kong containing about 1/5 of the population of the containing about 1/5 of the population of the worldworld

It is for the possession of these thickly It is for the possession of these thickly populated regions and of the northern ice populated regions and of the northern ice cap that the three powers are constantly cap that the three powers are constantly strugglingstruggling

1984 Map1984 Map

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The primary aim of modern warfare is The primary aim of modern warfare is

to use up the products of the machine to use up the products of the machine without raising the general standard of without raising the general standard of livingliving

As a whole, the world is more primitive As a whole, the world is more primitive than it was 50 years agothan it was 50 years ago

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace From the moment the machine made its first From the moment the machine made its first

appearance it was clear to all thinking appearance it was clear to all thinking people that the need for human drudgery, people that the need for human drudgery, and therefore to a great extent for human and therefore to a great extent for human inequity had disappeared inequity had disappeared

If the machine were deliberately used for If the machine were deliberately used for that end, hunger, overwork, dirt, illiteracy, that end, hunger, overwork, dirt, illiteracy, and disease could be eliminated within a and disease could be eliminated within a few generations.few generations.

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The machine did raise the standard of The machine did raise the standard of

living of the average human being very living of the average human being very greatly over a period of about fifty greatly over a period of about fifty years at the end of the 19years at the end of the 19 thth and and beginning of the 20beginning of the 20 thth century century

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace If leisure and security were enjoyed by all If leisure and security were enjoyed by all

alike, the great mass of human beings who alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it awaythey would sweep it away

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The essential act of war is destruction, not The essential act of war is destruction, not

necessarily of human lives, but of the necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human laborproducts of human labor

War is a way of shattering to pieces , or War is a way of shattering to pieces , or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligentintelligent

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The humblest party member is The humblest party member is

expected to be competent and expected to be competent and industrious.industrious.

He should also be an ignorant fanaticHe should also be an ignorant fanatic It does not matter whether the war is It does not matter whether the war is

going well or badly – all that is needed going well or badly – all that is needed is that a state of war should existis that a state of war should exist

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The two aims of the party:The two aims of the party:

– To conquer the whole surface of the earthTo conquer the whole surface of the earth– To extinguish once and for all the To extinguish once and for all the

possibility of independent thoughtpossibility of independent thought

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace All three powers continue to produce atomic All three powers continue to produce atomic

bombs and store them up but don’t use bombs and store them up but don’t use themthem

War has remained the same for 30-40 years War has remained the same for 30-40 years – Helicopters still usedHelicopters still used– Bombing planes have been replaced by self-Bombing planes have been replaced by self-

propelled projectilespropelled projectiles– Tank, torpedo, submarine, rifle, hand grenade Tank, torpedo, submarine, rifle, hand grenade

still in usestill in use

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace All three superstates need to make sure All three superstates need to make sure

there is no contact with foreigners because there is no contact with foreigners because they would realize that they are all similar they would realize that they are all similar and have been told liesand have been told lies

The conditions of life in all three superstates The conditions of life in all three superstates are very much the sameare very much the same– Political systems similarPolitical systems similar– Similar ruling groupsSimilar ruling groups

Chapter 3 – War is Chapter 3 – War is PeacePeace The war is waged by each ruling group The war is waged by each ruling group

against its own subjects and the object against its own subjects and the object of war is not to make or prevent of war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society in tactstructure of society in tact

This is the meaning of “War is Peace”This is the meaning of “War is Peace”

At this point Winston goes back to Chapter 1At this point Winston goes back to Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

Back to the three groups (upper, Back to the three groups (upper, middle, and lower classes)middle, and lower classes)

They have always had the same They have always had the same purposespurposes– Upper – Stay where they areUpper – Stay where they are– Middle – Change places with the upperMiddle – Change places with the upper– Lower – Create a society in which Lower – Create a society in which

everyone is equaleveryone is equal

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

With the development of machines it was no With the development of machines it was no longer necessary to have the classes longer necessary to have the classes anymore – there was enough of everything anymore – there was enough of everything for everyone to be wealthyfor everyone to be wealthy– But the upper class wouldn’t allow thisBut the upper class wouldn’t allow this

The advances in technology also allowed The advances in technology also allowed people to be under constant surveillance people to be under constant surveillance

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

Each of the three superstates cannot Each of the three superstates cannot be conquered except through slow be conquered except through slow demographic changes which a demographic changes which a government with wide powers can government with wide powers can easily averteasily avert

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

Problem is overproduction – need to Problem is overproduction – need to keep the lower classes needykeep the lower classes needy

War uses up goods and takes care of War uses up goods and takes care of the surplusthe surplus

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

Big Brother:Big Brother:– InfallibleInfallible– All powerfulAll powerful– All good things are because of his All good things are because of his

leadershipleadership– He will never die – no one knows when He will never die – no one knows when

he was bornhe was born– He is the guise in which the Party He is the guise in which the Party

chooses to represent itself to the worldchooses to represent itself to the world

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

In Oceania there is no lawIn Oceania there is no law Thoughts and actions which, when Thoughts and actions which, when

detected, mean certain death are NOT detected, mean certain death are NOT formally forbidden, and the endless purges, formally forbidden, and the endless purges, arrests, tortures, imprisonments, and arrests, tortures, imprisonments, and vaporizations are not inflicted as vaporizations are not inflicted as punishments for crimes which have actually punishments for crimes which have actually been committed, but are merely the wiping-been committed, but are merely the wiping-out of persons who might perhaps commit a out of persons who might perhaps commit a crime at some time in the futurecrime at some time in the future

Chapter 1 – Ignorance is Chapter 1 – Ignorance is StrengthStrength

The contradictions in the government The contradictions in the government are necessary so that the government are necessary so that the government can retain power forevercan retain power forever

The entire government depends on The entire government depends on doublethinkdoublethink