'Animal Farm' Review

For creatures with four legs or two, revolution outcome the same

Recent events described in 2026 have inspired me to read for the first time George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Published in 1945, the classic novel is the most famous political allegory of the twentieth century. This fable about domestic animals has a hidden meaning. The universal drama shows step by step how Marxism instills false hope, incites a revolution, and replaces the status quo with a communist regime.

Let’s examine three places in the tale to see how the animals fared under communism. Spoiler alert: Don’t read the last section if you want the book’s ending to remain a surprise.

Before the rebellion

Manor Farm in England was farmed by an alcoholic farmer, Mr. Jones. He gave the animals enough food to make a profit on their eggs, milk and meat, but the animals were treated cruelly, often went hungry and received poor care. Their life expectancy was short. Early in the story one of the pigs, Major, instilled hope in the animals for a better life if only they would rebel and overthrow the human race.

Early days after the rebellion

Since the pigs were the smartest of the farm animals, they quickly became the elite intellectual leaders. These elites renamed the farm “Animal Farm” and ran it under a form of Marxist-Leninist government called “Animalism.” All of the animals, including the pig leaders Napoleon and Snowball, were called “comrades.” The motto of Animalism was “Four legs good, two legs bad!” Other important principles were summarized in the Seven Commandments of Animalism:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3. No animal shall wear clothes.

4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.

5. No animal shall drink alcohol.

6. No animal shall kill any other animal.

7. All animals are equal.

Late days after the rebellion

Through a series of lies, propaganda and deception of the other animals, the pigs used Animalism to their own advantage and consolidated their power. As a result, the “lower animals” at Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the county. Meanwhile, the pigs moved into the farmhouse, slept in beds, wore clothes, drank alcohol, befriended human business partners, and killed many of the animals for political reasons or profit. After the pigs learned to walk on two legs, they changed the motto of Animalism to “Four legs good, two legs better!” They started carrying whips like their human predecessor, Mr. Jones, and restored the farm’s name back to Manor Farm. In the end, the animals had had a change of masters but most of them were worse off than before.

Fittingly, after breaking every agreement made among the animals, the pigs replaced the Seven Commandments of Animalism with a new slogan:

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Doublethink in Current Events

The last issue of 2026 reviewed George Orwell’s novel 1984. In this issue we will take a deeper dive into the Orwellian term doublethink. Hopefully, after reading it, you will be better prepared to recognize the concept when it crops up in the media.

Doublethink means the ability to hold two completely contradictory beliefs at the same time and to believe they are both true. For each case of doublethink in current events below, I first present the factual truth and then follow it in italics with the contradictory belief held by many Leftists.

Violent riots with arson and looting > Mostly peaceful protests

Hiring more police is needed to control crime. > Police are the problem and must be defunded.

COVID-19 spreads under crowded conditions. > If you’re protesting, the virus doesn’t spread anymore and social distancing isn’t needed.

People infected with COVID-19 transmit the virus whether they are vaccinated or not. Since the vaccines don’t induce nasal mucosal immunity, they won’t reduce the contagiousness of the respiratory illness. > Vaccinated people don’t spread the virus.

Racial discrimination in the U.S. is at the lowest point in world history. > We have systemic racism in this country, alleges President Biden.

History provides valuable knowledge and should be preserved. > History is written by white supremacists and should be abolished.

Law enforcement holds criminals accountable when they break the law. > Enforcement of the law criminalizes the law breakers, who are the real victims.

Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. --George Orwell

Correction: The last issue of 2026 incorrectly used the term “doublespeak.” The correct Orwellian term is “doublethink.” The term “doublespeak” is often attributed to George Orwell but was not actually coined by him; it came into use in the 1950s after his death and is believed to be a combination of the Orwellian terms “newspeak” and “doublethink.” View the updated article here.