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Totalitarianism In 1984

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1984 is a dystopian novel written by George Orwell and it represents a perfect totalitarian society. The plot takes place in Airstrip One, a part of the superstate Oceania in a world of perpetual war, oppressive government with absolute power, led by the so called Big Brother, a leader that is the patron of the English socialism, i.e. Ingsoc and worshiped by the Party members. The novel is filled with motifs from the Soviet Union and wartime life in Great Britain, as it represents a warning about the dangers of communism as a totalitarian regime. Moreover, Orwell was also particularly concerned by the role of technology that was increasingly developing in enabling governments to monitor and control their citizens. Today, around 66 years after …show more content…

An example of such country is North Korea. North Korea is a small country in East Asia, led by a dictator called Kim Jong-un who inherited the position of the supreme leader from his father. The republic is led by a single …show more content…

By means of telescreens and hidden microphones across the city, the Party is able to monitor its members almost all of the time. Surveillance controls the citizenry and the smallest sign of rebellion, even something so small as a facial expression, can result in immediate arrest and imprisonment. Thus, citizens, particularly party members, are compelled to obedience. Similar violation of the privacy can be found in North Korea too. The security apparatus is very extensive, exerting strict control over residence, travel, employment, clothing, food and family life. Security establishments tightly monitor cellular and digital communications. State Security and the Police allegedly conduct real-time monitoring of text messages, online data transfer, monitor phone calls and automatically transcribe recorded conversations, while military intelligence monitors phone and radio traffic. Mass surveillance is carried out through a system which includes 100,000 CCTV cameras, many of which are installed at the border with China. North Korea is widely accused of having one of the worst human rights records in the world. Because of the severe restrictions placed on their political and economic freedoms, it is very similar to Orwell’s vision of the world in 1984. Moreover, there are reports of severe restrictions on the freedom of association, expression and movement, arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment

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