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George Orwell was a colonist cop who described his subjects as “brutes. The success of 1984 and Animal Farm were largely due to his wife Sonia Brownell promotin

George Orwell was a colonist cop who described his subjects as “brutes. The success of 1984 and Animal Farm were largely due to his wife Sonia Brownell promoting them in her job at the British propaganda ministry. He self-described as a “Tory-anarchist” but a detailed review of his life and beliefs leads me to think he was just the former.

badpun 3y ago
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KingMob 3y ago
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- marxisttemp 3y ago
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LAC-Tech 3y ago
Is "Tory" in your mind just this vast, vague ocean, with sea monsters and dragons scribbled in the corners, that lies to the right of wherever you are? The man fought for the republicans in the Spanish Civil war, for goodness sake. How can he be a Tory? Just because socialists 90 years ago had very different social sensibilities to those of today, does not mean you can suddenly decide they were conservatives. (Not sure how detailed your review was, but he abandoned the "Tory Anarchist" label after his experiences in Spain in the 30s, and before his socialist apologist books that made him so famous).
OJFord 3y ago
If you can say that and show awareness of Animal Farm, 1984 too really, in two short sentences then this is either trolling or you actually have something interesting to say if you'd care to expand on your 'detailed review of his life and beliefs'?
- marxisttemp 3y ago
  Sure, 1984 and Animal Farm were both fine critiques of Stalinism. They’re not that deep though, and it’s curious that this “socialist” “anarchist” author is largely revered for his critiques of communism. Again, largely because of his wife’s work at the propaganda ministry.
  - zabzonk 3y ago
    brownell didn't work at the ministry of information, and they married very shortly before he died
    - marxisttemp 3y ago
      > Sonia worked with the Information Research Department (IRD), a propaganda department of the British Foreign Office, which helped to increase the international fame of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. With her support, the IRD was able to translate Animal Farm into over 16 languages,[3] and for British embassies to disseminate the book in over 14 countries for propaganda purposes > Sonia is believed to be the model for Julia, the heroine of Nineteen Eighty-Four.[1][2]
  - vvvvvvvvvvvv 3y ago
    > it’s curious that this “socialist” “anarchist” author is largely revered for his critiques of communism Stalinism is not communism though, plenty of communists still hate it to this day, if anything Orwell is known for criticism of totalitarianism, not communism.
    - marxisttemp 3y ago
      But he never wrote a novel providing a depiction of the pitfalls of corporate capitalism or right-wing ideology.
      - Perceval 3y ago
        He traveled to a foreign country and joined a militia to put his life on the line fighting fascism. Does that demonstrate more or less skin in the game against fascism than Stalinism?

badpun 3y ago

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KingMob 3y ago

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marxisttemp 3y ago
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LAC-Tech 3y ago

Is "Tory" in your mind just this vast, vague ocean, with sea monsters and dragons scribbled in the corners, that lies to the right of wherever you are? The man fought for the republicans in the Spanish Civil war, for goodness sake. How can he be a Tory? Just because socialists 90 years ago had very different social sensibilities to those of today, does not mean you can suddenly decide they were conservatives. (Not sure how detailed your review was, but he abandoned the "Tory Anarchist" label after his experiences in Spain in the 30s, and before his socialist apologist books that made him so famous).

OJFord 3y ago

If you can say that and show awareness of Animal Farm, 1984 too really, in two short sentences then this is either trolling or you actually have something interesting to say if you'd care to expand on your 'detailed review of his life and beliefs'?

marxisttemp 3y ago
Sure, 1984 and Animal Farm were both fine critiques of Stalinism. They’re not that deep though, and it’s curious that this “socialist” “anarchist” author is largely revered for his critiques of communism. Again, largely because of his wife’s work at the propaganda ministry.
- zabzonk 3y ago
  brownell didn't work at the ministry of information, and they married very shortly before he died
  - marxisttemp 3y ago
    > Sonia worked with the Information Research Department (IRD), a propaganda department of the British Foreign Office, which helped to increase the international fame of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. With her support, the IRD was able to translate Animal Farm into over 16 languages,[3] and for British embassies to disseminate the book in over 14 countries for propaganda purposes > Sonia is believed to be the model for Julia, the heroine of Nineteen Eighty-Four.[1][2]
- vvvvvvvvvvvv 3y ago
  > it’s curious that this “socialist” “anarchist” author is largely revered for his critiques of communism Stalinism is not communism though, plenty of communists still hate it to this day, if anything Orwell is known for criticism of totalitarianism, not communism.
  - marxisttemp 3y ago
    But he never wrote a novel providing a depiction of the pitfalls of corporate capitalism or right-wing ideology.
    - Perceval 3y ago
      He traveled to a foreign country and joined a militia to put his life on the line fighting fascism. Does that demonstrate more or less skin in the game against fascism than Stalinism?