George Orwell

George Orwell, Koestler and betrayal of Revolutionary ideals

Understanding George Orwell requires delving into the tumultuous times in which he lived and the profound impact those experiences had on his worldview and literary works. Born in 1903, Orwell grew up during a period marked by significant social, economic, and political upheavals. The early 20th century witnessed the aftermath of World War I, the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, and the rise of authoritarian regimes.

Orwell's personal experiences also shaped his deep-seated concerns about inequalities and social injustice. Serving as a colonial policeman in Burma exposed him to the oppressive nature of imperialism, laying the groundwork for his later anti-authoritarian sentiments. Additionally, Orwell's decision to fight in the Spanish Civil War, where he joined leftist militia groups opposing Franco's fascist forces, further solidified his commitment to social justice.

The stark contrast between the privileged and the destitute, the oppressors and the oppressed, became a recurring theme in Orwell's writings. His empathy for the plight of the working class and his disdain for oppressive systems fueled his revolutionary spirit. Orwell's firsthand experiences of poverty and hardship during the Great Depression, documented in his autobiographical work "Down and Out in Paris and London," provided a raw and unfiltered view of the struggles faced by the marginalized.

Orwell's concern for social justice and his disdain for inequality are evident in his essays, where he critiqued the class system, the abuse of power, and the dehumanizing effects of poverty. His essay "The Road to Wigan Pier" reflects his engagement with the lives of the working class in industrial England, addressing issues of housing, unemployment, and societal neglect.

George Orwell's pamphlet "The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius," written in 1941, reveals his fervent belief in the necessity of a social revolution in Britain during the tumultuous times of World War II. This essay serves as a powerful call to arms, urging the British to embrace socialism as a means to defeat the Nazis and address the deep-seated issues within their own society.

Orwell's scathing critique of British society is evident in his assertion that England is "the most class-ridden country under the sun" and that it is governed by the "old and silly" with "a family with the wrong members in control." He identifies the inherent problems within the capitalist system, attributing inefficiency and stagnation to the failures of British lords and captains who either colluded with or appeased Hitler.

The pamphlet argues that for Britain to prevail against the fascist threat, a revolutionary transformation is imperative. Orwell contends that the war must be made a revolutionary one, calling for a shift to a planned, nationalized economy and the establishment of a "classless, ownerless" society. He emphasizes that revolution is not just desirable but necessary, advocating for a fundamental shift of power to address the systemic issues plaguing the nation.

Orwell's vision of revolution is not doctrinaire or logical; rather, he envisions a peculiar, ragged, English transformation. He anticipates the abolition of the House of Lords, the winding up of the Empire, the disestablishment of the Church of England, and reforms in major industries, income distribution, and education. Despite the imprecision in his predictions, Orwell's call for radical change becomes prescient when, in the post-war period, the Labour Party's victory in the 1945 election led to significant social reforms, including the establishment of the welfare state.

In "Homage to Catalonia," Orwell detailed his disillusionment with the infighting among leftist factions during the Spanish Civil War, highlighting the betrayal of the working-class cause by political maneuvering. This experience further fueled his skepticism toward dogmatic ideologies and his commitment to the principles of democratic socialism. George Orwell was an outright admirer of Leon Trotsky. Orwell was a democratic socialist and a critic of totalitarianism, both of the fascist and communist varieties. There is no doubt that he had sympathy to Trotsky and Trotskyism.

Orwell was an anti-Stalinist, and he criticized the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin for its betrayal of the socialist ideals and its descent into authoritarianism. Trotsky, a Marxist revolutionary and one of the leaders of the Bolshevik Party, had been a key figure in the early years of the Soviet Union but was later expelled and eventually assassinated under Stalin's orders.

Orwell's allegorical novella "Animal Farm" is often interpreted as a critique not of the Russian Revolution but about betrayal of its ideals. While some see parallels between the character of Snowball in "Animal Farm" and Trotsky, Orwell never explicitly confirmed this connection. The character of Snowball is depicted as an intelligent and eloquent leader who is eventually ousted and vilified by the more authoritarian Napoleon (representing Stalin). Orwell's criticism was not directed at the idea of revolution itself but rather at the betrayal of revolutionary ideals and the perversion of those ideals into oppressive regimes.

While Orwell was critical of Stalinism he did not reject the idea of socialism or revolution as such. His critique was more focused on the corruption of revolutionary ideals by power-hungry leaders. Orwell was aware of the complexities and challenges inherent in revolutionary movements, and his writings often highlighted the need for vigilance to prevent the erosion of democratic principles.

Regarding Leon Trotsky, Orwell's position was complex. While he did not publicly align himself with Trotskyism, he expressed frustration with the censorship and distortion of information in Western media, which often omitted or downplayed Trotsky's role in the Russian Revolution. Orwell believed in the importance of presenting a balanced and accurate historical account, even if it meant acknowledging uncomfortable.

Leon Trotsky was the greatest enemy of the West and world capitalism as he advocated for the idea of "permanent revolution". Trotsky's concept of permanent revolution, which called for the continuous expansion of socialist revolutions beyond national borders, stood in contrast to Stalin's policy of "socialism in one country." Stalin's approach focused on consolidating and strengthening socialism within the Soviet Union rather than actively promoting revolutions elsewhere was more favorable Soviet leader than Trotsky. The blood bath orchestrated by Stalin in Soviet Union did not bother Western leaders as they considered weak Russia was more beneficial for them. Praising Stalin and ignoring Trotsky by western countries was ctiticized by George Orwell many times in his essays.

The perception of Trotsky as a threat to the West was rooted in the fear of the spread of communist ideology and revolution. However after the Second World War when Trotskism was successfully eliminated and Stalin repressions nearly stopped, the State of Israel was founded with help Stalin and global situation changed. Soviet Union became more stable, less bloody and hitlerism was defeated. The establishment of Soviet-friendly governments in countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and others raised concerns in the West about Soviet expansion.Stalin was living his last years and was not so important anymore.

In this situation the Cold War started. In response to Soviet influence in Greece and Turkey, U.S. President Harry Truman announced the Truman Doctrine in 1947, pledging to provide economic and military assistance to countries resisting communist aggression. n response to Soviet influence in Greece and Turkey, U.S. President Harry Truman announced the Truman Doctrine in 1947, pledging to provide economic and military assistance to countries resisting communist aggression. The Marshall Plan, initiated in 1948, aimed to aid the economic recovery of war-torn European nations and contain the spread of communism., initiated in 1948, aimed to aid the economic recovery of war-torn European nations and contain the spread of communism. The Marshall Plan however was misused by CIA for funding anti-communist activities and playing dirty tricks with culture. This money were used , for example, to finance Animal Farm adaptation and 1984 film made in 1956.

The relationship between Western intelligence agencies, such as M15 and the CIA, and Trotskyists during the Cold War is a complex opic. Some Western intelligence agencies sought to counter Soviet influence and communist movements worldwide, including through recruitment of individuals with Trotskyist affiliations.

In order to understand the time and its reflection in books of Orwell it is important to take a look between Orwell and Arthur Koestler. Their friendship developed during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s when both writers were actively involved in leftist and anti-fascist causes. Orwell, who fought on the Republican side during the war, and Koestler, who was there as a journalist and supporter, shared common concerns about the rise of totalitarianism and the dangers of political extremism.

Despite some ideological differences, their friendship endured. Orwell later reviewed Koestler's work, including "Darkness at Noon," Koestler's influential novel that explored the moral complexities of political betrayal and the show trials during Stalin's purges.

The friendship between Orwell and Koestler was a significant aspect of their intellectual and personal lives, and it reflected a shared commitment to confronting the challenges posed by totalitarianism and authoritarianism in the turbulent political climate of the 20th century. Koestler was one of those trotskists and communists who was recruted by British secret Service and then by CIA and became one of the most active supporters of CIA. Most of his books were funded by CIA. There is no definitive evidence to suggest that George Orwell was aware of the specific details of Arthur Koestler's activities with the CIA or the Congress for Cultural Freedom (CCF). However it is possible that Orwell knew something about it.

Orwell and Koestler had a friendship based on shared concerns about totalitarianism, political ideologies, and the impact of World War II. They corresponded and engaged in intellectual discussions,the full extent of Koestler's connections to intelligence activities may not have been disclosed or known to Orwell, but at some extend he probably could know about it. The character O'Brien in George Orwell's "1984" is a complex and enigmatic figure. Initially presented as a high-ranking member of the Inner Party and a seemingly rebellious individual who opposes the Party's oppressive regime, O'Brien later reveals himself to be a loyal supporter of the Party and a key figure in Winston Smith's re-education and torture.

O'Brien's character and role in the novel has striking similarity with figures like Arthur Koestler, who experienced ideological shifts and betrayed revolutionary ideas. In George Orwell's "1984," Winston Smith undergoes a process of brutal re-education and psychological manipulation by the Party. By the end of the novel, Winston is broken, mentally and emotionally, and he comes to accept and love Big Brother, the symbolic leader of the Party. This transformation represents the complete subjugation of an individual's will to the authoritarian regime.

In a way, this transformation is a transformation of Arthur Koestler himself, who was the ardent communist first and became very active collaborator with secret services, who were playing dirty tricks with culture and media. The concept of "Big Brother" represents an omnipresent and oppressive authority figure, symbolizing the government that exercises complete control over the lives of its citizens and often is used in connection to american authorities and CIA in particular. The term "Big Brother" has indeed become a cultural shorthand for the abuse of government power, especially concerning civil liberties and mass surveillance. And when we think about historical context of the book it is clear what exactly Orwell meant by this allegory.