Animal Farm, a Group of Farm Animals

Animal Farm, a group of farm animals overthrew their human masters in order to establish a society where all animals would rule and benefit equally from their own labor. Three pigs -- Squealer, Napoleon and Snowball -- set about running the farm after Mr. Jones is defeated in the battle. All animals come together to work towards the common goal of the farm's prosperity, supposedly for the common good of all the farm animals.

Before long, however, it becomes apparent that this goal is largely untenable. All are supposedly created equally, but some animals like Boxer the carthorse do most of the work. By extension, all animals' opinions should matter equally, but any animal who opposes Napoleon's orders are beset by the leader's attack dogs.

Through this depiction, Orwell skillfully demonstrates how revolutions often fail to live up to their goals of equality. Such examples are seen throughout history. The Russian Revolution in 1917, for example, was initially a revolution to overthrow the artistocratic elite that lived off the backbreaking labor of the peasant class. Their goal was to establish a classless society, where everyone would work towards a common good and no one would live in want. The end result, however, was quite different. In place of the tsar rose a new form of repression, as illustrated in the way Josef Stalin purged his perceived enemies from the Communist Party.

In the novel, the Animalist principles forbidding whiskey and associating with humans are supposed to apply to all animals equally. Napoleon, however, acts like a human being by sleeping in a bed, consuming alcohol and trading with the human neighbors. Also, all animals supposedly work for the good of the farm, but unlike their leader, most animals remain cold, hungry and exhausted from too much work.

In the end, the failure of the animal revolution is seen as the common animals look on, while Napoleon and his cohorts have assumed the role of the human oppressors.

The only remaining Animalist principle states that while all animals are equal, some animals are more equal than others.

Social scientists have posited many reasons for the failure of revolutions and supposedly classless societies, whether in Russia or the fictional world of Animal Farm. First, despite claims to equality, societies always tend towards forms of stratification. The stratification often occurs along class lines. In multi-ethnic countries such as the United States, stratification also occurs along racial lines as well. Stratification can occur along division of tasks, as when jobs are divided into labor and the "intelligentsia." Even in democratic societies such as the United States, these forms of stratification are still evident.

Additionally, the notion of true equality demands great effort on the part of everyone. It requires that people take the time to make their own analyses and decisions. When faced with this dilemma, Boxer the horse preferred to leave the decision to Napoleon instead of puzzling out a decision on his own. Like Boxer, many people prefer to trust leaders, political figures or people in the media for their opinions, instead of questioning the motives and agendas of their oppressors.