Absolute Power in George Orwell's Animal Farm Essay Sample

The notion that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely asserts itself as a prominent theme in the dystopian novella ‘Animal Farm’ written by George Orwell.  The idea explores the impact of power as it develops and how absolute power creates absolute control, authority, and influence over the farm animals.  The text explores this theme through the personification of the pigs, including the protagonists Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball.  Initially, power corruption is introduced through the changing of the farm’s commandments and the use of propaganda by the pigs.  In the latter stages of the novella, absolute power corrupts absolutely through the pigs’ creation of a rich lifestyle for themselves at the expense of the farm’s inhabitants.  The subject develops itself as a dominant guiding principle for the pigs in which propaganda, the modification of farm rules, and anthropomorphism are utilised.  By using these techniques, personal wealth is gained as the other animals are misled, deceived, and lose control of their livelihoods. 

The corruption of power is exemplified through the actions of the pigs on Animal Farm.  On the farm, Napoleon and Snowball develop a set of rules known as the seven commandments that support the essential beliefs of their equality-based belief system known as Animalism, including “all animals are equal”, “no animal should drink alcohol”, and “whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend”.  These rules, initially, aim to provide fair and supportive treatment for the farm’s animals.  However, an abuse of power leads to power corruption as the pigs abuse their roles as leaders by changing the commandments to suit their lifestyles.  This is demonstrated when Napoleon asks that the “grazing-ground for animals who were past work … to be ploughed up … to sow barley” so that he can begin alcohol production.  The commandment that prohibits alcohol consumption is now manipulated to “no animal shall drink to excess”.  This act misconstrues the original aim of the commandment, which was to protect the animals and not partake in human behaviour.  In doing so, it creates confusion and, ultimately, false hope.  This is most prominently shown as Squealer the pig delivers speeches and statistics throughout the text.  He makes claims including “the production of food-stuff [increasing] by two hundred percent, three hundred percent, or five hundred percent as the case might be” which “invariably demonstrate[s] that everything was getting better and better”.  The use of propaganda means that “the animals never [give] up hope”, which consequently results in false hope.  by which the animals “work like slaves … but were happy in their work [as it was for] the benefit of themselves and those … would come after them”.  The creation and impact of power corruption on Animal Farm deliver the prevalence of confusion, manipulation, and false hope as significant subjects in the text.  

The absolute corruption of absolute power is explored using anthropomorphism in the latter stages of the novella.  Absolute power corruption is exhibited when Squealer is illustrated “walking on his hind legs” leading a “long file of pigs”, followed by Napoleon “carr[ying] a whip in his trotter, [holding] a pipe in his mouth, [and] appearing in a black coat”.  This event signifies how the pigs’ leadership has led to absolute power by which the pigs adopt the behaviour of their previous owner, Mr Jones.  It also demonstrates a direct rejection of the farm’s principal aim, which was for the animals to be able to provide for themselves and lead their own lives.  The animals, in response to absolute corruption, are “amazed [and] terrified” and feel “as though the world [has] turned upside down”.  This reaction is advanced as the pigs enjoy a friendly meal and game of cards in the farmhouse with another farmer named Mr Pilkington.  The other animals witness a toast being put toward “the lower animals [on the farm doing] more work and receiv[ing] less food” before Napoleon and Mr Pilkington both “[play] an ace of spades simultaneously” as “twelve voices were shouting in anger”.  In awe of the spectacle, the animals “looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again” however it was “impossible to say which was which”.  The event exemplifies absolute power corrupting absolutely as the rebellion makes a full-circle revolution to what suffering existed in the first instance.  Orwell’s clever use of anthropomorphism justifies the animals’ bewilderment as to how they have been manipulated for their work and compensated by unfair reward in terms of food rations.  They now understand that absolute power has led to absolute corruption as they spiral into a revolving circle of exploitation and an imbalance of wealth distribution on the farm.