Psychoanalysis

The main character in the novel, “1984” by George Orwell, is Winston Smith.  He works on one of the four branches of government in Oceania. These four branches are the “Ministry of Truth”, where they correct all past documents such as books, newspapers, magazines, records, tapes and everything else that contains information about the past.  Even though he realized that what he was doing immoral, he just couldn’t resist it. Winston lives a very normal life, until he joins an underground party the Brotherhood. He joins this party because he does not believe in what the Big Brother is doing, and he thinks that it’s wrong. The Brotherhood is against the Big Brother, and is trying to end it’s power.

Winston Smith’s character is shown as a criminal but he is actually a victim of a system that is criminal.  The first mistake he made was bringing an illegal diary and bottle of ink to record his thoughts.  The diary was an old, yellow paged ancient book purchased from the owner of the Antique Store. It was supposedly a book created before the great revolution and this is symbolic, because most books before the revolution were destroyed. In his journal he wrote about daring ideas about how one can get free from the party’s region. This all indirectly led to his meeting with a woman called Julia who shared his feelings. Regarding Winston’s general health that was shown horrible at the beginning of the book, it continually got worse and more difficult. But when he got together with Julia, he suddenly felt much better and he became healthier. This also show’s how Winston needed just a little bit of love and understanding to lead a proper life, without any strangles. Winston wasn’t satisfied with the Big Brother’s decision regarding sexual intercourse. When he first met Julia, he thought she was a spy and he didn’t like her as much. But, when he read her message saying, “I love you” he was stunned, but at the same time pleased that somebody had feelings for him, which shows that he was dying to love again. It also tells about his personality that he was very passionate, he needed love, and attention as well as tender touch.

Winston hated the Big Brother so much that he was willing to murder, commit acts of  sabotage, to cheat and commit suicide. Which shows that he was going through a very depressive period. Winston who was sane, was more logical than the party. Since Winston thought things through logical manner, and that helped him using his own mind that the party was evil and he focused on not giving up and not letting Big Brother win. He was aware of the fact that Big Brother could not control everything  such as diseases, illnesses, the climate, or people’s mind. Everything that the party tried to make Winston believe he fought back through logical thinking.

When Winston’s mind was totally brainwashed, he was killed as a person. He existed only as a material being, he existed just as a piece of furniture. He was not a person thinking with his mind. He was murdered not as Winston Smith, but as an accomplishment of the party. His mind was lost the minute he was brainwashed, and all that remained was his shadow.

*CITATIONS

Hitler and Stalin- http://www.historyguide.org/europe/lecture10.html

Mao- http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/mao.html 

Totalitarianism- http://www.historyguide.org/europe/lecture10.html

How did Mao use totalitarianism?

Mao controlled almost everything in China, including; all social, political, economic, cultural and intelectuall activities. He created a totalitarianism state in China, where he set rules by which people lived by. At his birth, Emperor Yuan ruled China in Qing dynasty, which controlled China ever since 1644. Members that were in the Qing dynasty were called Manchu's.  Most Chinese people accepted the rule from Manchu's and illegal secret societies were formed, in aim to weaken the government. The societies fought over  "Taiping", that was let by  Hung Hsiu-Ch'uan. Millions of peasants joined the armies,and took over most of Southern China and Nanjing. The could have defeated the government, if the west didn't come up with armies and soldiers. They were against China to become strong.These forces defeated the Taiping.

  An example of how Mao used totalitarianism, was by launching the Great Leap Forward aiming to improve economy by developing industry and agriculture. Everyone, including intellectuals, professionals, workers... etc were required to work in the communes, in factories and mines, and on projects. It soon appeared to be a failure--instead of increasing industry, it brought shortages of food, raw materials, and exhaustion of the workfore. The situation worsend  because of the harvest and bad weather, which Mao refused to hear. Instead of refusing, he should have helped them in some way as he had total control of the state. In 1959 and 1969, widespread food shortages come up, mostly in rular areas. Over 14 to 20 million people died of starvation China, fortunately recieves support-- political support. Seven million tonnes of grain were exported (1958-59). Meanwhile, China strengthens its foreign policies announcing that Taiwan will be set free, and starts launching propaganda. Relationship between SU begin to cool down. By 1960 Soviets recall all their advisers and technicians from China and cancel economic support.

How did Hitler use totalitarianism ?

While Hitler was in prison, he wrote the book "Mein Kampf". Thanks to this book, Hitler had absolute control. Unemployment was at 1.3 million in 1929. Later, it came up to 5 million, while on the other side  industrial production in 1932 came down by 50%. That same year, 43% of Germans were unemployed. Hitler promised economic salvation. He gave most attention to the middle class and low class, people who barely survived in the period of inflation. These were the people that needed help the most. By 1933 Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Hitler looked forward to establishing a dictatorship. He used terror to gain power, he called for new elections to the Parliament and then had it burned, and blamed Communists for this. He wanted to get Communists out of his way. 

Once they got arrested, Hitler became dictator for four years. Doctors, lawyers, professors...and so on were all belonging to the Nazi organization. They all felt under total state control. Hitler gave promises to the Germans work and bread, and he gave both as he promised. He gave people necessities they needed most. He tried pulling Germany out of the Great Depression. Buildings, and huge stadiums were constructed. Suddenly, unemployment dropped again. Then again, standard of living increased and business profits as well, which shows Hitler really did something useful for his people. As he slowly began to gain power by increasing economic strength and military, he came into association with dictators and began to expand.  As Hitler began to expand more and more, the western Europe set back and didn't want to do anything against Hitler so that they avoid the war. Anyway, war did break out in 1939 because of Hitler's unlimited ambitions. By 1943, Germany was defeated.  

How did Stalin use totalitarianism ?

The two ways in which Stalin used totalitarianism are- Five Year Plan & Collectivisation. After Lenin died in 1984, Stalin's goal was to turn Soviet Union into a powerful industrial state. Therefore, he made Five Year Plan, aiming to increase growth of industry.  Russian industry changed immensly-- new towns such as Magnitogorsk grew up and large projects such as the Dnieper hydroelectric dam were developed. This made the Soviet Union become a major industrial country. She got second place in production to USA and Germany. While going through this period, they recieved low wages and suffered from daily necessities. Human cost was very high-- millions of peasants died because of poor working conditions and hours of long work. Demands on workers meant that millions lived under harsh conditions, working for the good of Russia. Shops were empty, clothing and household items were in short supply. Lack of consumer goods is one example why standard of living became hard. The way Stalin treated people was unfair; he didn't care under what conditions the people were, he only cared about increasing industrial growth. Workers, instead of being rewarded, they were poorly paid.  

Collectivisation was also part of the Five Year Plan-- but it wasn't as successful as industrialisation. As it didn't fullfil it's goals under the plan, this caused food shortages. Up to 7 milion peasants died, the government still selled grain to foreign countries to earn foreign currency that can be used for investment in industry. Grain production increase later on. Collectivisation turned out to be successful since it improved agriculture in Russia. Collectivisation also ended private ownership of land, which was nationalised and peasants were to own a piece of ground. In this way, the state could have more control over them.  

These two examples of totalitarianism show how cruel Stalin was, and how he didn't care about his workers even though the industrial growth improved thanks to them. He could have given them better social benefits, especially to those who had a family they needed to feed, because under those conditions in which they were, they couldn't possibly survive. Millions of workers died because of the conditions in which they found themselves under Stalin's rule, which shows how Stalin used terrorism over people just to get total control over them, which in fact, he got in the end. 


What is totalitarianism ?

Totalitarianism meant total control over everything; total control in every aspect of life, so that there is no privacy at all, nor independent organizations. A totalitarian government took control over every individual's life - religion, family life, economy, education... leaders of the totaliarian government were too obsessed with total control, that they didn't just eliminate their enemies but also their assistants that helped them because they saw them as a menace. Sometimes they created their own enemies, even thought they really didn't have them-- they made enemies from their friends. 

A totalitarian society was a society constantly looking towards some goal. The totalitarian state never reached it's final goal. As soon as one goal was reached, it was replaced by another. However, illusion is what gave them the strength to move on. Totalitarianism, all in all meant a lasting revolution, a revolution that simply went on forever.