Essay | Total Power

Throughout history, many societies have attempted to establish a nation with an all powerful government. Some have risen to great power, but in the end, they always result in collapse. In 1984 by George Orwell, the oligarchic party of Oceania succeeds in establishing this total domination over its citizens. The party gains and maintains its control through a combination of instilling loyalty into its citizens and the continuous surveillance of its citizens.

In a society of totalitarianism, loyalty plays a major role in maintaining power. A common threat to every society's rule is rebellion. To prevent rebellion, the party must make its citizens loyal. Loyalty comes from the love of a leader and the hatred of a leader's enemies. With loyalty comes the elimination of rebellion, which yields the party incapable of being overpowered. During a lunch in Winston's work cafeteria, an...
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