George Orwell & The Russian Revolution

1. George Orwell & The Russian Revolution

2. George Orwell • Born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903 • Born in India (English) • Second of three children • Father was absent most of his childhood • Went to school at age five and two years later was recommended for one of the most successful preparatory schools in England at the time: St Cyprian's School

3. George Orwell • Was awarded a scholarship to attend this prestigious school and later earned scholarships to two different universities (Wellington and Eton) • Joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma but resigned in 1928 because he hated imperialism

4. George Orwell • Adopted his pen name in 1933, while writing for the New Adelphi • Lived for several years in poverty, sometimes homeless, until he found a job as a teacher • Poor health forced him to give this up to work part-time as an assistant in a secondhand bookshop

5. George Orwell • After the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Orwell volunteered to fight for the Republicans against Franco's Nationalist uprising. • Admired the apparent absence of a class structure in the revolutionary areas of Spain he visited • Orwell was shot in the neck on May 20, 1937 • Orwell and wife Eileen left Spain after narrowly missing being arrested when the communists moved in

6. George Orwell • Orwell began supporting himself by writing book reviews for the New English Weekly until 1940 • World War II he was a member of the Home Guard and in 1941 began work for the BBC Eastern Service, mostly working on programs to gain Indian and East Asian support for Britain's war efforts • Resigned in 1943 to become literary editor of Tribune, the left-wing weekly (favored political reform)

7. George Orwell • In 1944 Orwell finished his anti-Stalinist allegory Animal Farm, which was published the following year with great critical and popular success. • Royalties from Animal Farm provided Orwell with a comfortable income for the first time in his adult life.

8. George Orwell • 1936 -1945 was married to Eileen O'Shaughnessy, • Adopted a son, Richard Horatio Blair • Eileen died in 1945 during an operation • 1949-shortly before his death, Orwell married Sonia Brownell • 1950 - Died from tuberculosis

9. George Orwell • 1949-Orwell was approached by a friend, who had just started working for a Foreign Office unit, which had been set up by the Labour government to publish pro-democratic and anti-communist propaganda • Orwell gave her a list of 37 writers and artists he considered to be unsuitable authors because of their pro-communist beliefs

10. George Orwell’s Pen Name • Chose a pen name that stressed his deep, lifelong affection for the English tradition and countryside: • George is the patron saint of England (and George V was monarch at the time) • The River Orwell in Suffolk was one of his most beloved English sites.

11. The Russian Revolution

12. The Russian Revolution • 1880’s - Russian is ruled by a Czar • The country has begun the process of industrialization • A great deal of money was being brought into Russia – the lower, working class people (80% of the population) saw very little • Not only were the most of the people still peasants but the wealthy were quickly taking away the precious land that they had

13. The Russian Revolution • Many people had come to work in the cities hoping to cash in on the recent good fortune or Russia • They worked long, hard hours for little pay and most did not have enough food to eat • The living conditions for the poor in the cities were deplorable while the czar lived in luxury

14. The Russian Revolution • Czar Nicholas II would do nothing to help his people • March 8, 1917 – riots broke out in Petrograd, Russia • The losing army sided with the rebels • Czar was overthrown

15. The Russian Revolution • Czar Nicholas II, his family and a few staff members were held captive for some time (they were kept in a nice home) • There were supporters that were going to try to save the royal family, so they were executed

16. The Marxist Party • Karl Marx (1818-1883) • Father of Communism – believed that we must destroy capitalism for the greater good • Wrote Communist Manifesto –no private land ownership • a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed • Old Major in Animal Farm

17. Karl Marx • “Worker’s of the World Unite”, take over government • Died before the Russian Revolution • In communism, all people are equal and they all share everything equally

18. Vladimir Lenin • Adopted Marx’s ideas • Believed that bourgeoisie (middle class) exploited the workers and must be overthrown • Understood the power of slogans (“Workers of the world unite”)

19. Vladimir Lenin • When Lenin dies, there was a power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin • It is believed that Lenin ordered Nicholas II murdered • Changed Russia’s name to USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

20. The Marxist Party • Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) • Was a key figure in the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia, second only to Lenin in the early stage of Soviet communist rule • He lost out to Stalin in the power struggle that followed Lenin's death, and was assassinated while in exile. • Snowball

21. Leon Trotsky • Believed in “pure” communism (like Marx) and wanted to improve life for all in Russia • Lead revolution with Stalin and Lenin • Was a brilliant speaker • Favored world revolution • Chased away by Lenin’s KBG (secret police)

22. The Marxist Party • Joseph Stalin (1879-1953) • Continuously opposed Trotsky • Average speaker, not well educated • Didn’t exactly follow Marx’s ideals • Craved power and was willing to kill for it

23. Joseph Stalin • Used KBG • Lots of propaganda (created a department of propaganda) • Lied to convince people to follow him • Benefited from the fact that education was controlled

24. Stalin Takes Control • In his sinister way, Stalin secured his power base and engineered the permanent exile of Trotsky in 1929 • The exile of Trotsky was useful because he now had someone to blame for all of the problems and difficulties Russia suffered • Became a merciless dictator

25. KGB • Secret police that were totally loyal to Stalin • Used force and often killed entire families for disobedience

26. Religion • Marx said that religion was the “opiate of the people” and a lie • Religion was tolerated b/c it would make people not complain and would prevent violent revolution

27. Tricked Communist Supporters • People trusted Stalin because he was a “Communist” • Many stayed loyal after it was clear that he was a tyrant because they were afraid to oppose him

28. Russian Revolution Summed Up • Communism was supposed to fix the problem of the Czar • Life was even worse long after the revolution • Stalin made the Czar look like a nice guy

29. Kulaks • These were the land owning peasants who did not want their farms to be collectivized after the revolution. • On 1929 Stalin began exterminating them

30. 5 Year Plans • 1927-1932, new economic plans (called 5 year plans) were introduced • Their purpose was to improve industry

31. Language • Communism • Community • Commune • Communion • Communicate • Communal