Animal Farm: George Orwell's Other Dystopian Classic
On this day 75 years ago, George Orwell's dystopian political fable Animal Farm was published. It became an instant classic, and was adapted into a cartoon less than a decade after its release – you can watch that cartoon here in its entirety to start off your week.
An allegory of the events that led up to the Russian Revolution – and a critique of the brutal Stalinist dictatorship that followed as a result – Orwell intended his novella to be a "fairy story" for adults. Which is perhaps why people overlook this as a dystopian tale, though it is.
Animal Farm tells the story of a group of farm animals who revolt against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy – but what happens next offers a warning for all would-be revolutionaries and changemakers not to replace one tyrannical oppressor for another in the quest for change.
While progress is impossible without change, Orwell's classic tale is still a much needed reminder that not all change brings progress. Just remember: if the pig in charge starts saying, "Sure, all animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others..." then he is not a true leader for all and that pig has got to go before you end up in a dystopian nightmare like the animals of Manor Farm.
As a totally unrelated aside... after you've watched this cartoon classic, visit vote.org to make sure you're registered to vote this November.