Thomas Jefferson, one of America’s great early leaders, was a big believer in an educated citizenry and is credited with many “quotable” comments.
One of Jefferson’s best is “if a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be.”
George Orwell was an English author most known for his novel “1984,” written in 1948, which depicts a horrible future — without democracy — where we are stripped of all kinds of freedoms and “Big Brother” is constantly watching us.
Two year earlier, Orwell penned a simpler book, entitled “Animal Farm.” This is a story everyone should read and be aware of. The book proves Jefferson’s point — you can’t be ignorant and still be free!
Propaganda, deceit and lies take over and control the once-happy animals who had overthrown man (Mr. Jones) and set up a free republic. But as the story unfolds, the pigs (the smartest) cunningly change the rules and a terrible tyrannical dictatorship is created.
The dogs fiercely see to it that the orders of the pigs are carried out and the sheep “blindly” follow, as do the majority of the others, including the hard-working and loyal horse, Boxer. “Comrade Napoleon is always right,” becomes Boxer’s motto, along with “I will work harder” and the power of the pigs increases.
A classic example of deceit is when the farm is running low on grain and Napoleon orders the bins to be filled with sand and then covered with oats, giving the “outsiders” the appearance that the bins are full and there is no shortage of food on “Animal Farm.”
The animals are not smart enough to understand what is happening to them. What starts out as a joyful existence, turns into a real tragedy.
Orwell proves Jefferson’s point in simple fashion. I sure hope Americans are smart enough to not let that ever happen here?
