Power Equating To Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely” (Lord Acton). This quote compliments the main message of the novella, Animal Farm by George Orwell, because power can corrupt but absolute power will always corrupt. Animal Farm by George Orwell conveys the main message of power equating to corruption through the allegorical use of Napoleon and Snowball, the other farm animals, and the events in the book itself corresponding with the Russian Revolution.

The novella, Animal Farm, communicates the message of power equating to corruption through the leaders that emerged, Napoleon and Snowball who symbolize Stalin and Trotsky. The reader sees Napoleon's representation of Stalin as the pigs start breaking the rules of Animalism

Napoleon and Stalin’s thirst for luxury compels the reader to question the very fundamentals of Animalism and its historical counterpart, Communism. Animalism and Communism both build on the belief of equality, however having an extremely wealthy pig or person defeats that concept of equality. The corruption of power leads to a system with a single wealthy individual. The individual must achieve near-limitless power to gain their desires. Corruption then follows unlimited power. After the exile of Snowball, Napoleon became the one single leader with absolute power on the farm. Similarly, after the exile of Trotsky from Russia, Stalin became the sole ruler. This commonality led to Napoleon and the other pigs moving into the farmhouse and Stalin’s obsession with luxury. Napoleon’s abuse of power, didn’t just plague him, Snowball also caught the disease of corruption. For instance, in chapter five, the discussion of the windmill took place with Snowball saying, “stone would have to be carried and be built up into walls, then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be

The beloved character, Old Major shows how the possession of power leads to severe misconduct. Old Major’s wisdom led the other animal’s high regard of him which induced a proposition of change in Manor Farm, soon to be Animal Farm. In his famous speech, he said, “why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That is my message for you, comrades: Rebellion!...All men are enemies. All animals are comrades” (Orwell chapter one). Old Major’s historical counterpart, Karl Marx, wrote The Communist Manifesto, a book on Communism. Old Major’s speech called for rebellion and the importance of Animalism; the counterpart to Communism in Animal Farm. Old Major held a great deal of power. He had a way with words, as seen with his speech, an intelligent mind, and a religious following from the other animals. With this power, Old Major decided to manipulate his following into wanting a rebellion. Old Major also emphasized the importance of Animalism. This eerie similarity relates to Karl Marx and The Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto published right before the revolutions of 1848, was regarded as one of the most influential political writings. The use of influence Old Major and Karl Marx utilized shows how the possessing of power can lead to severe misconduct.