1984

The term totalitarianism represents a political system characterized by a strong central rule in
which the state controls an individual in all possible aspects of its public and private life and
permits no individual freedom. The totalitarianism phenomenon governed by the ideology
addressing all aspects of life pursues a specific goal where the Party, usually led by a dictator,
maintains control over the governmental system. The system is characterized by the existence
of the secret police that exerts control and suppresses people who react against the Party.
Under the influence of the ruling organization, individualism and pluralism are suppressed
and the ideology is accepted by the majority of people. George Orwell, as an author of the
novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, describes totalitarianism and gives insight into the society where
free will is prohibited and people are psychologically, socially and physically controlled in all
aspects of their lives.
After reading the previously named novel, I managed to understand, at least partially,
the function of totalitarianism and, most importantly, the state of mind of suppressed people
forced to function in this radical system. The perfect example of a totalitarian governmental
arrangement and its consequences on humans and their psyche is reflected through the main
character, Winston Smith, who is a typical representative of imprisoned people wanting to
counteract the imposed structure. The novel shows how even the strongest individuals, trying
to oppose the stifling of their individualities, are subdued in the end by the power of the
ruling Party. Throughout the whole novel, Winston reassesses the imposed Party governed by
the Big Brother and their success in maintaining power over people in Oceania. His
resistance to ignorance, disobedience, rebelliousness, desire for knowledge and individuality
destroyed him and made him accept the ideology of the system in the end. In my opinion, the
main trait of totalitarianism is mental control over people which is achieved through
organized violence that is necessary to maintain the power to influence or direct people's
behavior and to achieve the states goal. Power is established with the help of the Thought
Police, which represents a typical totalitarian apparatus in maintaining control of the Party
over people. In this kind of a system, the police operate without laws and regulations and
their actions are completely unpredictable. Throughout the whole novel, Winstons fatalism
is represented as he commits crimes against the ruling Party. By the notion of crimes, his
sexual relationship with Julia is presented, as well as his possession of a dictionary which he

uses as freedom device where he can write down his feelings that he is forced to hide in
totalitarian regime, which is described as a system of the most radical denial of freedom. One
of the most important traits of the previously mentioned system is total control over means of
communication, including propaganda and newspapers, whose function is to create a utopian
society. In order to create such system, members of the society are forced to participate in
absurd, unreasonable and irrational acts that the Party imposed. The clear example of that
policy is Hate Week, an event which purpose is to increase the hatred for the Party enemies
in which all members of the society are forced to participate in. Events similar to Hate
Week including Two Minutes Hate and Hate Song that serve as an important tool of
deceiving people and making them believe in the system of Big Brother force its
participants to show their hatred for the opposing party and their love, not only respect, for
the leader of the Party. Furthermore, totalitarianism captivates people and their thoughts with
the complex process of manipulation of the mind where history is rewritten in order to
support the totalitarian state. The ideology manipulates the state and creates individuals past
in order to manipulate its future. The most powerful tool of totalitarian government,
psychological manipulation, can be observed from everyday surroundings of members of the
community. Giant telescreens that constantly monitor citizens behavior also represent a
powerful way of manipulation exerting control over people. Oppressed members of a
totalitarian community are brainwashed 24 hours a day since they are reminded over and over
again that Big brother is watching them. Constant monitoring and strict supervision do not
allow any kind of disloyalty or disobedience. In addition to psychological manipulation,
citizens are constantly forced to exercise extensively in order to experience real physical pain
and exhaustion.
After reading this book, I have to say that I am completely shocked. The novel is full
of frightening details that illustrate terrifying consequences of totalitarian governmental
system. Throughout the whole book, I expected that Winston would not lose hope and betray
Julia, but not only that he lost hope, but he started to love and respect the Big Brother. True
and innocent love and admiration that he experienced in the end are direct consequences of
brainwashing techniques that led to the loss of his personal identity. A person that functions
as a living dead, without emotions, intellect, an ability to develop its own ideas is a result of a
complete control of totalitarianism.