Dual diagnosis: overview and clinical implications

¶ … Capitalism in 1984

Many of the ideas put forward in George Orwell's 1984 have relevance in today's society. Any strong government regulation brings comparisons to "Big Brother," and many regulatory measures are deemed "Orwellian." One strong idea in 1984 that has definite relevance to today's America is the Party's view of capitalists.

The capitalists, according to the Party's history books, were the rulers of the world before the Revolution. They used their great wealth to wield great power over ordinary people. Consider the history books' view:

Children no older than you had to work twelve hours a day for cruel masters who flogged them with whips if they worked too slowly and fed them on nothing but stale breadcrusts and water. But in among all this terrible poverty there were just a few great big beautiful houses that were lived in by rich men who had as many as thirty servants to look after them. These rich men were called capitalists... The capitalists owned everything in the world, and everyone else was their slave. They owned all the land, all the houses, all the factories, and all the money. If anyone disobeyed them they could throw them into prison, or they could take his job away and starve him to death. When any ordinary person spoke to a capitalist he had to cringe and bow to him, and take off his cap and address him as 'Sir'. The chief of all the capitalists was called the King, and -- (Orwell 76).

This vision of capitalists was directly relevant to capitalists in Orwell's era. Since the Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression, labor (including that of children) had been exploited. And war profiteers created much of the wealth of the early 1940s. But the "captains of industry" were held in high esteem, reviled by only a few Socialists. Even as recently as three or four years ago, capitalists and corporate CEOs were heroes of ingenuity.

That esteem came crashing down in December of 2001, with the fall of Enron. While current public opinion of capitalists isn't quite so extreme as the Party line in 1984, there are certain similarities. With corporate corruption bringing down the rich and powerful heads of Enron, Tyco, Imclone, even Martha Stewart Omnimedia, the public has been given a picture of fabulously rich people who think they can make the rules and force others to serve them.

It is also interesting to note that public opinion, right or wrong, links the current government directly to corporate corruption. Vice President' Cheney's ties to Haliburton Oil is a good example. Similarly, the Party's history book called the chief of all capitalists the King. In the Party's view, the government of the capitalistic society is guilty of evils inseparable from the evils of the capitalists themselves.

Equipped with the Party's version of history, Winston Smith inquires of a man old enough to be around before the Revolution. He relates the Party's description of the capitalists, including their uniform, which included top hats. No one but the capitalists, says the history book, is allowed to wear top hats (Orwell 76). But clearly that isn't entirely true:

'ats!' he (the old man) said. 'Funny you should mention 'em. The same thing come into my 'ead only yesterday, I dono why. I was jest thinking, I ain't seen a top 'at in years. Gorn right out, they 'ave. The last time I wore one was at my sister-in-law's funeral. And that was -- well, I couldn't give you the date, but it must'a been fifty years ago. Of course it was only 'ired for the occasion, you understand.' (Orwell 93)

The old man may not have been the type or of the means to wear a top hat regularly, but he wasn't disallowed from doing so.

Winston dismisses this detail, however, and presses the man on other points. He asks, "Is it a fact, for instance, that you had to call them 'Sir' and take off your cap when you passed them" (Orwell 93). And the old man replies, "Yes...They liked you to touch your cap to 'em. It showed respect, like" (Orwell 93). It's not so much that they required it; they merely liked it.