"The Theory and Practices of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein."

"The Theory and Practices of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein." Chapter 1: “Ignorance is Strength” Chapter 3: “War is Peace”

The pyramidal shape of society, which consists of the High, who wish to remain high, Middle, who wish to change places with the high, and Low, who wish to develop a society based on equality among all men. • When the Middle works to overthrow the High, it enlists the Low to achieve its goals, and then pushes the Low back to their place. • Thus, the Low are always trod upon, with no hope of true change or progress. • Socialist Movement moved towards totalitarian rule, which eventually evolved into Oceania: Ingsoc, Eurasia: Neo-Bolshevism, and Eastasia: Death-worship, and worked directly towards developing "unfreedom and inequality." Chapter 1: “Ignorance is Strength”

The purpose of these systems was to stop progress and "freeze history at a chosen moment." • Society moved backward, embracing concepts such as "imprisonment without trial, the use of war prisoners as slaves, public executions and torture." • The three states essentially coexist with limited contact • That contact is primarily through WAR • As long as they maintain the same level of skill, TECHNOLOGY and RESOURCES no one state will win over the other. • Because there is no contact between the citizens of the states, the superstates are able to rule as DICTATORSHIPS Chapter 1

Goldstein blames the invention of the television for the complete loss of privacy and the drastic increase in domestic spying. • The television and propagation of print media allows superstates to develop and maintain complete uniformity in opinion. Chapter 1

The four dangers to a ruling regime: • Being conquered from without • Suffering from inefficient government leading to revolt • Permitting a strong and independent Middle Group to develop • Losing self-confidence and willingness to govern • The main danger lies in the growth of liberalism. • Mold consciousness:the all-powerful Big Brother sits at the apex of Oceaniansociety Chapter 1

The Inner Party, numbering approximately six million, less than two percent of the population. • The Outer Party follows, filled with workers who allow the Party to maintain society. • The proles, the "dumb masses" and non-Party members consisting of eighty-five percent of the population. Chapter 1

The philosophy they adopted was called COLLECTIVISM • You were not born into a class • Age 16: you WERE TESTED in order to determine your placement within the society • Though this is typically the class you were born into • If you were excessively SMART/GIFTED then you would be eliminated (vaporized) • If you were merely talented and likely to think independently, you would be placed in THE OUTER PARTY • To maintain the system, IngSoc is supported by a controlling group known as the THOUGHT POLICE. • The worst and only crime that a citizen can commit is to THINK (not act) differently than what the party desires. Chapter 1

Newspeak, the total lack of privacy demanded by the Party, and the central notion of the mutability of the past. • “Doublethink," which means "the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." • The Party tends to embrace contradiction, "constantly linking opposites - knowledge with ignorance, cynicism with fanaticism," peace with war, truth with lies, plenty with starvation, love with torture. • The Party has abandoned every basic principle of Socialism and turned its back on the original goals of the Revolution. Chapter 1

There are three superstates which occupy specific geographic locations. • Oceania which occupies the lands of THE AMERICAS, BRITAIN, AND AUSTRALIA • Eastasiawhich occupies CHINA, SOUTH ASIA AND JAPAN • Eurasia which occupies the NORTHERN PART of Europe and Asia from Portugal to the Berlin Straight. • Consequently these states do constant battle over THE POLES and AFRICA. Chapter 3: “War is Peace”

Each state has a different belief system • Oceania believes in IngSoc or English Socialism. • Eastasia believes in OBLITERATION OF SELF/DEATH WORSHIP • Eurasia in NEO-BOLSHEVISM Chapter 3

They wage battle in the “no-man” lands in order to gain a limited amount of physical resources and LARGE “SLAVE” POPULATIONS • They are able to rid themselves of SURPLUS GOODS which is necessary if they are going to keep their populations at a low comfort-level. • A low comfort-level denies people the opportunity to think and question society. • Scarcity allows for a few small LUXURIES like chocolate, tobacco, and servants which allows the people to see themselves as members of the high, middle, or low class. Chapter 3

A state organized as a HIERACHY/OLIGARCHY/TOTALITARIANSIM with different classes must be in a constant state of war. • Because the war is constant, it has essentially stopped being DANGEROUS • No country wants to or intends to WIN the war. Chapter 3

"The Theory and Practices of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein."