GOLDSTEIN IS NOT TROTSKY

To Orwell Today,

I always assumed the Emmanuel Goldstein of Orwell's 1984 was analogous to the historical Trotsky; he, driven out of the Sov. Un. by Stalin, was a writer of (suppressed) books, and was useful to the Stalinists as a focus for public animus.

The historical Trotsky's real name was Lev Bronstein, assassinated 1940. Why kill off someone so useful? No problem -- there were still plenty of Trotskyites around to serve the same function.

-Roger H.

Hello Roger,

Saying Goldstein is Trotsky is too simplistic for 1984.

Goldstein is the leader and author of the plan behind the overthrow of the WORLD by Big Brother - an evil organization that seeks to replace Nature (God) as omnipotent.

Trotsky and Stalin are followers of the plan, not its creators. They played a part in implementing the Communist system in Russia that resulted in the destruction of the nation and the slaughter of millions of people. Granted, Orwell does use some of their characteristics in 1984 (ie Big Brother is represented by a Stalin-look-alike and Goldstein was driven out of the Party as Trotsky supposedly was). But Orwell tells us through O'Brien that Goldstein is in fact the brains behind the Party and Big Brother. Members of the Brotherhood drink toasts to his health.

The modus operandi of those seeking to set up a Communist-like World Government was laid out way before the Russian Revolution. That's why Orwell says "the book" has been passed on from generation to generation. Actually, in a previous essay I compared The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Emmanuel Goldstein to The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx but that isn't the whole picture by any means.

1984 is about the FUTURE not the past, although it encompasses the past. Orwell wants people to realize that what was done to Russia could also be done to other nations if the followers of Goldstein (whoever he may be) are allowed to conspire secretly behind the scenes "destroying the societies in which they live". Orwell described the plan in detail and I've compiled his thoughts in the essay CONSPIRACY FOR WORLD DOMINATION IN 1984.

Thanks for your interest and comments, and keep on keeping on with your study of the finer points of 1984.

over and out,
Jackie Jura

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~

email: orwelltoday@gmail.com
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