MovieChat Forums > Nineteen Eighty-Four (1985) Discussion > Orwell would take Soviet communism over ...

Orwell would take Soviet communism over nazism


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/12/george-orwell-s-letter-on-why-he-wrote-1984.html

Can't link it properly as using phone

reply

I think most people would take Soviet communism over Nazism.

As an idea on paper, communism is not a bad thing in itself. In reality however, no country in the world could really be described as "communist" in the true sense of the word.

reply

[deleted]

The problem with both "Communism" and even "National Socialism" does not entirely lay in oppressive ideology. Their proponents will always depict them in principle as "good". In practice the problem with both is that , at least so far in history, those types of ideology have led to authoritarian states that never acknowledge human rights and reduce the voice of the individuals.
Germany under Hitler was incredibly oppressive, but it didn't last long. Multiple countries under the dictatorship of the elites known as the Communist Party have been slightly less oppressive, but it lasted over many decades plus has spread to some asian countries.

reply

It's not even good "on paper" because everyone having exactly the same thing sounds like and IS just like PRISON.

My Cinema Site at www.cultfilmfreaks.com

reply

It's not even good "on paper" because everyone having exactly the same thing sounds like and IS just like PRISON.

There's a difference between equality and uniformity.

reply

America and the UK are both democracies yet now are both heavily monitored states, their respective intelligence agencies spying on their citizens at unprecedented levels.
Just because it doesn't wave a red flag and wear black pajamas doesn't mean its not an oppressive state.

reply

But your comment has nothing to do with the OP. He didn't ask where the society was like one described in the book or the film.

I would also argue that your suggestion that UK and "America" spying on people is in itself oppressive. It is nothing compared to USSR or Nazi Germany, both of which had very similar degrees of oppression.

reply

As would I. Soviet communism wasn't as bad as Nazism and there was visibly more potential for eventual reform of communism even when Orwell was writing.

There is no more human race. There is only.. the Master race!

reply

"National Socialism" was good for the people. Hitler always put the nation first. Communism and National Socialism are both better than capitalism

reply

Go watch "A Brave New World" (1980). That must be one of the most horrific movies for psychos like you who believe "Hitler put his people first"...Yeah first in line to defend the city against tanks and raping Russians because their leader was so out of his mind crazy (or you might say "proud") to surrender. BTW, both ideologies haven't survived, guess which one has?

reply

Orwell saw Soviet Communism and Nazism as the same evil. 1984, as with Animal Farm, was critcal of Soviet Communism in its totalitarian tendencies.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.

reply

That just is not true.

reply

Who wouldn't?

reply

I don't remember the German people suffering under Nazism as opposed to the Soviets under communism. In fact the German people were thriving.

reply

They were thriving because they took everything from the wealthy German Jewish business owners. They also received an enormous economic boost after they invaded Poland and took everything Poland had.

reply

Now all Germans. Hitler drove the country into the ground, and would not surrender. He had the children out there fighting and dying and in the end the country was destroyed along with everyone else. That counts as suffering. All these versions of hierarchical capitalism always end this way.

reply

In reality I don't think there was much difference for the majority of people.

reply

would he take Soviet communism , nazism or islam ?

reply