About the book
This is a quick synopsis of Fascism and Democracy book written by George Orwell.
I have decided to keep it simple and just give you the AWW factor of the book. Yes, the same Aww, that you get on whatsapp messages, when you do something cute.. :)
Except, this time A will tell 'About' the Book, give you an overview – First W means – 'What’s' in the book – go a little bit deeper and lastly W – 'Who' should read it?
This book is a collection of 5 editorials written by George Orwell during World War 2 days in 1940s.
It is a critical analysis of fascism and democracy. In this book, Orwell argues that fascism is a form of totalitarianism that is characterized by the suppression of individual liberty, the use of propaganda, and the glorification of violence. In the defence of Democracy, he argues that democracy is the only form of government that can protect individual liberty and promote human flourishing.
This is a brilliant work and makes you wonder that the ideas and thoughts shared in the book are still relevant today and how the words like democracy, fascism, free-speech are not just mere words but a part of life that impacts us as humanity. So, let’s quickly delve into 'What’s' in the book.
What's in the book?
As I mentioned earlier – This book contains 5 essays written by George Orwell. First one being - Fascism and Democracy, which was first published in The Left News in February 1941. This essay started with debunking the concept of Democracy by Fascists and Communists.
He starts of by saying .. “A 16 year old school boy can attack Democracy much better than he can defend it…. And then goes on to criticize the same.
Later on he argues in the favor of Democracy and mentions that even though it is not perfect but is the most preferable model for people live and practice their basic rights.
In this essay, we get to know how socio-political structure of England back in 1940s and how despite its short comings, it helped England to go through the hardships of the world war two and get better in due course.
The next editorial “Literature and Totalitarianism” was first broadcasted on BBC Radio on May 21st 1941. In this, essay he argues that totalitarianism and literature are incompatible, and hostile to each other. Totalitarianism is where state seeks to control every aspect of human life, including thought, emotion, and expression. Literature, on the other hand, is a form of art that depends on freedom of thought and expression.
He also touched upon the difference between an orthodox system and totalitarianism with an enlightening example of Bolshevik revolution. (where the Germans who were looking at Russian Bolshevism with horror and aversion up until September 1939, post which they must regard it with admiration and affection.)
Orwell concludes by arguing that it is essential to resist totalitarianism in order to preserve literature.
The third essay is "Freedom of the Park“ which appeared in Tribune on December 7th, 1945. In this editorial, George Orwell writes about the importance of freedom of speech in a democracy. Orwell begins by recounting an incident in which five people were arrested for selling newspapers outside the Hyde Park in London. The newspapers they were selling were all critical of the government, and Orwell suspects that the police were motivated by political considerations.
Orwell then goes on to discuss the importance of freedom of speech in general, that freedom of speech is necessary for the development of new ideas, for the discovery of truth and for the holding of the government to account. He also argues that freedom of speech is essential for the protection of individual liberty.
Orwell concludes by warning that freedom of speech is fragile and must be defended and fought for. He writes and I quote, “If large number of people are interested in the freedom of speech, there will be freedom of speech even if the law forbids it; if the public opinion is sluggish, inconvenient minorities will be persecuted, even if laws exist to protect them.”
Next in line is George Orwell's essay "Review of Invasion from Mars“. This appeared in The New Statesman and Nation on October 26th, 1940. This essay is a review of Hadley Cantril's book of the same name, which is a study of the public reaction to the infamous Orson Welles radio broadcast based on the book, The War of the Worlds by H G Wells. Orson Welles, did the radio broadcast, which was a play in the form of a news bulletin and it was so realistic that many people believed that an actual alien invasion was underway. This led to widespread panic and hysteria. Apparently, 6 million people heard the broadcast and over 1 million were somehow affected by the panic. The essay continued to show that most of the affected people were poor, ill-educated, who were economically insecure, or had unhappy private lives. It showed how easy it is to get trapped by media and people often believe in half-baked information.
This essay by Orwell is still so relevant. In recent years, we have seen numerous "fake news" and "deepfakes" which are both examples of how technology can be used to manipulate public opinion.
Orwell's review is a reminder that we must be vigilant in defending ourselves from the dangers of misinformation and manipulation. We must be critical of the information that we consume and we must be aware of the techniques that can be used to manipulate us.
"Visions of a Totalitarian Future" is the final essay in the book, taken from “Looking back on the Spanish War” written in 1942 by George Orwell. Even though this article is written on the backdrop of The Spanish Civil War, which began on July 17, 1936, when generals Emilio Mola and Francisco Franco launched an uprising aimed at overthrowing the country's democratically elected republic, this highlights few key points around the totalitarian future, like
How the use of propaganda can manipulate people's thoughts and emotions?
The objectivity of history, when he says – “ history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various ‘’party lines”
The use of torture and other forms of violence to suppress opposition
No room for dissent in a totalitarian framework
Orwell's essay is still relevant today, as there are many totalitarian regimes in the world. His essay is a reminder that we must always be cautious in defending our freedoms and preventing the rise of totalitarianism.
Who should read it?
Orwell's book is an important read for anyone who is interested in understanding the dangers of fascism and the importance of defending democracy.
It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the power of the media or the psychology of mass panic.
This is a powerful book that remains relevant today.
Orwell's insights into the nature of fascism and the dangers of nationalism are thought provoking and will enlighten anyone who is looking for an understanding of the political landscape in both past and present.
In short, there is a takeaway for everyone, irrespective of which part of the world you belong to, which age group you are from and what profession you are into. I highly recommend this book, It’s a quick read of under 50 pages.
Hope you enjoy reading it – Happy Reading and Happy Sharing!
