Russian Society Russia was in an appalling state of poverty while the Czar lived in luxury There was tremendous dissatisfaction Czar Nicholas II A poor leader at best compared to western leaders ID: 717209
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Slide1
Animal Farm
Background and HistorySlide2
Russian Society
Russia was in an appalling state of poverty while the Czar lived in luxury. There was tremendous dissatisfaction.
Slide3
Czar Nicholas II
A poor leader at best, compared to western leaders
Cruel - sometimes brutal with opponents
Sometimes kind - hired students as spies to make $
Believed he was the unquestionable leader of Russia appointed by God.
Had unarmed protesters murdered in the streets in 1905
. Slide4
Karl Marx:
The Father of Communism
Marx believed that the private ownership of land must be abolished.
Believed in
“
Communal
”
way of life where everyone shares in prosperity
.
Invented Communism
“
Workers of the world unite",
take over gov't
Dies before Russian Revolution
Communism: All people are equal. The Government owns everything, the people own the government.Slide5
Lenin
Lenin adopted Marx
’
s ideas. He believed that the bourgeoisie (middle class) exploited the workers and must therefore be overthrown
.
Lenin understood the emotional impact of simple, powerful slogans like workers of the world
unite.
Changed
Russia
’
s name to the
USSR.
It is believed Lenin ordered Nicholas II murdered.
When
Lenin died, there was a power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin.Slide6
Leon Trotsky
One of the leaders of "October Revolution
“
along with Lenin and Stalin
Believed in
“
pure
”
communism, followed
Marx
Trotsky was a brilliant speaker. With Lenin he succeeded in overthrowing the government in October 1917.
Lenin was the President
, Trotsky the
Commissar
for Foreign Affairs. Slide7
Trotsky
Wanted to improve life for all in Russia
Chased away by Lenin's KGB (Lenin's secret police)
Trotsky favored world revolution. Slide8
Commissar
Former name of a head of a government department in the Soviet Union. Like Secretary of State Colin PowellSlide9
Civil War
From 1918 –1921 there was civil war. Foreign countries including Britain, France, Poland and USA were alarmed at the spread of communism but the Red Army (the Bolsheviks) led by Trotsky proved successful. Slide10
Joseph Stalin
Average speaker, not educated like Trotsky
Did not exactly follow Marx's ideas
Continually opposed
Trotsky
Craved power, willing to kill for power
Used KGB, allowed church, and propagandized
Benefited from the fact that education was
controlledSlide11
Propaganda Department
of
Stalin’
s government
Worked for Stalin to support his image
Lied to convince the people to follow StalinSlide12
Stalin takes Control
In his sinister way, Stalin secured his power base, and engineered the permanent exile of Trotsky in 1929
.
The exiled Trotsky was still very useful to Stalin as he now had Trotsky to blame for all the problems and difficulties that Russia
suffered
.Slide13
Politburo
:
This was the policy-making body of the Communist party’
s Central Committee.
In reality it was merely a force to carry out Stalin’s orders and secure his position as dictator. Slide14
Cheka
/OGPU/NKVD
/
KGB
These were the various names/initials given to the secret police during Stalin’
s dictatorship. Slide15
KGB - Secret Police
Not really police, but forced all to support Stalin
Used force, often killed entire families for disobedience
Totally loyal, part of Lenin's power, even over army Slide16
Religion
Marx said religion was the "Opiate of the people" and a lie.
Religion
was tolerated because people would work and not
complain.
Stalin knew religion would stop violent
revolutions.Slide17
Dedicated, but tricked
communist supporters
People believed Stalin because he was "Communist"
Many stayed loyal after it was obvious Stalin a tyrant
Betrayed by Stalin who ignored and killed them
Slide18
Overall details of Russian Revolution
Supposed to fix problems from Czar
Life was even worse long after revolution
Stalin made Czar look like a nice guy Slide19
Kulaks
These were the land-owning peasants who did not want their farms to be collectivized after the revolution.
From 1929, Stalin began to exterminate them as a class. Slide20
5 Year Plans
From 1927-1932, new economic plans, called the five-year plans, were introduced. The purpose was to improve industry
Slide21
Germany and Great Britain
Stalin negotiated with both Germany and Great Britain.
The Russo-German pact of August 1939 allowed Russia to occupy eastern Poland while Germany occupied the rest.
On 22 June, 1941, Germany attacked her ally Russia without warning. Thus the unholy alliance between Nazism and Communism fell apart and Russia formed an alliance with Britain and the USA.
Slide22
Cold War begins
The Tehran conference in 1943 presented the Soviet Union, Britain and America as allies. However, by the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union became an enemy of its allies as the Cold War intensified.Slide23
Animal Farm &
Historical Parallels
Old Major: Representative of Marxism. Parallel with Vladimir Lenin, leader of the November 1912 Revolution.
Farmer Jones: Representative of the “old order.” Parallel with Czar Nicolas II.
Moses, the Raven: Representative of organized religion (i.e. Sugar Candy Mountain”). Parallel with the Patriarch (leader) of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Napoleon: Represents the new revolutionary order. Parallel with Joseph Stalin.Slide24
Animal Farm &
Historical Parallels
(cont.)
Snowball: Represents defending and spreading the revolution. Parallels Leon Trotsky, leader of the Red Army.
Squealer: Spreads all of Napoleon's propaganda, including using demonstrations (sheep). Parallel with Pravda, the official newspaper of the Soviet government.
Napoleon’s Dogs: Protect Napoleon, carry out executions, enforces his decrees. Parallel with the
Cheka
and KGB (Soviet secret police).Slide25
Animal Farm &
Historical Parallels (cont.)
Pilkington and
Foxwood
Farm: Becomes friend and ally of Napoleon and Animal Farm. Parallel with Churchill (prime minister) and England.
Fredrick and
Pinchfield
Farm: Represents competition with Animal Farm. Parallel with Hitler (Fuhrer) and Nazi Germany.
Boxer: Represented the workforce. Parallel the Russian proletariat (working class).
Mollie, the cart horse: Represents the luxury of the “old order”. Parallels the
Russian bourgeoisie
(middle class).Slide26
Animal Farm &
Historical Parallels (cont.)
Mr.
Whymper
, the broker: Represents “outsiders” who support the rebellion at Animal farm. Parallels foreign agents of the
Comintern
, an acronym for the Communist
Internationale
, created to spread the revolution.
Pigeons: Were sent to other farms to spread the rebellion from Animal Farm. Parallel with the Communist
Internationale
, also called the
Comintern
.
4 Young Pigs: Redirect Napoleon's ideas and are executed. Parallel with the White Russian Army.Slide27
Events of Animal Farm
and their Historical Parallels
Battle of Cowshed
Attempt by the humans to reclaim Animal Farm and crush the animals’ rebellion. Parallels the British invasion of Russia at
Arcangel
aimed at removing Lenin and the revolutionary government.
Chasing Away Farmer Jones
Riding the farm of all human control. Represents the end of the “old order”. Parallels the removal and execution of Nicholas and his family.Slide28
Events of Animal Farm
and their Historical Parallels
Napoleon takes over the farm
Napolean
succeeds Old Major, the pig who had inspired the animals to revolt. Parallels Stalin becoming Soviet dictator in 1926.
Building the windmill
Creating economic self-sufficiency for the farm. Parallels with Stalin’s 5-Year Plan (NEP)Slide29
Events of Animal Farm
and their Historical Parallels
Selling the wood
Wood from Animal Farm was sold to Frederick who paid in counterfeit money. Parallels Nazi-Soviet pact.
Battle of Windmill
Attack led by the humans to destroy the windmill built by the animals. Parallel with the Battle of Stalingrad (German invasion of Russia during WWII). Slide30
Events of Animal Farm
and their Historical Parallels
Old Major’s Skull
Was dug up and placed in a prominent place in the farmyard. Parallels Lenin’s embalmed body placed on display in Red Square (Lenin’s Tomb).
Hoof and horn on the flag
Animal Farm flies a green flag with a hoof and horn. Parallels the Soviet flag with the hammer and sickle.Slide31
Events of Animal Farm
and their Historical Parallels
Confessions/Executions
Confessions of animals (chickens, pigs) to crimes against Animal Farm. Executions of those animals carried out by Napoleon’s dogs. Parallels Stalin’s purges of 1936-38.
Final Scene of Animal Farm
Meeting of pigs and men. Animals watching can’t tell the difference between them. Parallels the Tehran Conference of 1942 between Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin.
This conference made concessions to the Soviet Union, as well as supporting the independence of Iran.Slide32
The Author: George OrwellSlide33
His Early life
Originally Eric Arthur Blair
Wanted a “manly, English, country sounding ring”
Lived in India as a child- lonely- made up stories
Did not go to university
Worked for the Indian Imperial PoliceSlide34
Returned to England after illness
Started writing newspaper columns, novels, essays, and radio
b
roadcasts
Writing CareerSlide35
His views were affected by fighting the Spanish civil war.
Viewed socialists, communists and fascists as self serving and repressive
Supported England in WWII
PoliticsSlide36
Orwell spoke his mind.
Criticised the soviet union
At first no-one would publish his novel.
Animal FarmSlide37
How it came about
Once, he saw a boy whipping a horse.
“It struck me that if only such animals became aware of their strength we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in the same way as the rich exploit the worker”.
(From Orwell’s
Preface to Ukrainian translation of ‘Animal Farm
’)