Built On Lies And Broken Promises
Manipulation is art in the form of controlling others’ thoughts, feelings, ideals, actions and personalities without the person’s knowledge or consent. Many leaders use forms of manipulation to control the people of their nation. Tyrannical leaders manipulate themselves to avoid feeling guilt over their actions. Animal Farm was written by George Orwell in 1946, as an allegorical text in which the characters represent the major people in the Russian Revolution. The Animals take over their farm and create a set of commandments, which are later revised to correlate with the tyrannical leader whims. The revised commandments in Animal Farm state, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” (Orwell 92). Napoleon, the mentioned tyrannical leader, used manipulation to control the animals with the ever changing commandments, which they were ordered to live by. Napoleon from George Orwell’s Animal Farm is comparable to Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and Fidel Castro.
Napoleon is comparable to Joseph Stalin because they both are tyrannical leaders who gained power after a revolution. The article starts, “Along with Adolf Hitler, the Soviet communist leader Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin stands as one of the most ruthless and destructive figures of the twentieth century. During his rule Stalin's reach extended into virtually every aspect of life in the Soviet Union, and millions of Soviet citizens perished as a result of his decrees” (Stalin, Joseph). Animal Farm was written as an allegorical text focused on the Russian Revolution, in which Napoleon personifies Stalin, who is known to be a harsh leader. Joseph Stalin and Napoleon are comparable because they both manipulate others with fear and would kill or imprison those who disagreed with them.
Stalin and Napoleon are comparable for the reason that they both gained their positions through a struggle of power and they both became paranoid leaders. Both Napoleon and Stalin had many struggles before they gained their respective roles. Napoleon had to remove Snowball, his rival, from his path and Stalin had to overcome Trotsky, his rival. Fredriksen began, “Stalin, Zenoviev, and Kamenev joined together to defeat Trotsky, who had gained prestige and military connections as a revolutionary leader. After Trotsky's ouster from the Communist Party, Stalin allied with Bukharin to turn against Zinoviev and Kamenev in the struggle for power” (Fredriksen). Napoleon used tactics similar to Stalin used on Trotsky, to remove Snowball from a position of power. Napoleon and Stalin also became paranoid as leaders. The article reported, “In the 1940s and 1950s Stalin made very few public appearances, which only enhanced his mystery and strength in the eyes of his followers” (Stalin, Joseph). Stalin made few public appearances because like Napoleon, he was afraid of assassination attempts. Stalin and Napoleon are similar for many reason, based on the author's intention of writing allegorical literature featuring the Russian Revolution.
Napoleon is similar to Mussolini because they both gave the illusion of being elected, and the two also created their own private military, out of paranoia. Axelrod begins, “In 1924, Mussolini ostensibly relinquished his dictatorial powers and called for new elections—after carefully securing legislation that would guarantee a two-thirds parliamentary majority for his party regardless of the popular vote” (Axelrod). Like Mussolini, Napoleon decided they needed to elect a president, however he was the only candidate chosen. Secondly, Napoleon and Mussolini both created a private form of protection for themselves. Axelrod continues,“Mussolini also replaced the king's guard with his own Fascist squadristi and secret police force, called the Ovra” (Axelrod). Napoleon also formed his own private military with the dogs on the farm. Mussolini and Napoleon share similar traits and habits because of the similar leadership roles they filled in their governments.
Napoleon is like Fidel Castro for the reasons that they both killed opposers, took away vital freedoms and used manipulation to gain power. The article states, “Castro began waging a guerrilla campaign against the central government in 1954, and, after two unsuccessful attempts, toppled Batista's regime on January 1, 1959. Initial American support for Castro eroded as he broadened his ties with the Soviet Union. Castro quickly consolidated power. He disbanded Cuba's army and disarmed the revolutionaries, conducted public executions, many without trial, and imprisoned those who did not support the revolutionary regime” (Castro, Fidel). Castro was similar to Napoleon based on their treatment of those who rebelled, because they both performed public executions without trial. Fidel Castro and Napoleon were comparable in many ways. Some way include using violent control tactics and manipulation to gain power.
Fidel Castro, Benito Mussolini and Joseph Stalin all reflect Napoleon, from George Orwell’s Animal Farm. What these leaders all use is a feeling everyone has experienced before, fear. They take fear and other basic human instincts and emotions, and manipulate and twist them in order to control or gain power. Manipulation is used in every facet of life, through media and even the people you trust. Similar to Napoleon and how he built the Animal Farm on lies and broken promises.