Oceania=America?

Many governments around the world resemble the Oceania govenment around the world in our time. Specifically ours; The American govenment is an oligarchy for a few different reasons. It can also be refered to as an aristocracy. But its classified as a " Democracy". America is a Democracy only in theory.



Why can America be called a oligarchy? Because in all actuality its ruled by the few. Its ruled by congress, judicial system and the president. What makes it a aristocracy? Although we have the right to vote only the privleged and wealthy are the only canidates left standing. the less wealthier candidates never get a fair chance. Why? because, money makes the world go round.



When the war in Iraq happened America just like Oceania instilled the thought of fear, pride and rightousness in all the citizens. In hopes to justify the war. Everyone knows Osama Bin Laden had no ties what so ever to Iraq he's not even from there. But America figured out a way to tie the two together so it can make sense to the citizens. Ten years into the present post 9/11 people are experiencing Independent thought. Protesting the war and calling for a withdraw



This blog post was inspired by a the chapter "confronting" in the book called Living Ethics.

The Hood

The Crip gang in California are really like Big Brother in the book 1984 because Big Brother has a lot of people under control and if they dont want to listen to the rules he will vaporize you or lock you up for life but the difference between the too are gangs in Cali run blocks and neighborhoods and they fight rival gangs and try to eliminate the enemy. Were Big Brother runs almost the whole country and he tryies to have people not have intimate relation ships so they dont give there time and energy to a loved one when you could give your time and energy to Big Brother.

People want to join the gang that they grew up around because they see that they have respect for eachother and have your back at all times but they also have rules and ways of doing things and if you dont abide by them they will have you killed or seriously hurt. There is nothing you can really do to try and convince a gang member to get out they have to make that decision on there own but rarley does that happen because most gangs ounce you get in you cant get out.

"they sye that 'eals all things,

they sye you can always forget,

but smiles and tears across the years

they twist my' eartstrings yet'

THE LEGAL SYSTEM

In days before mines, Many countries were ran by a strict group of people that controlled everything within the country this type of goverment is called an Oligarchy system. Over time that way of goverment was demolished in most of the countries around the world. Many say that way of life is over and far behind us but if you pay close attention some of many countries still have that type of goverment. The Oligarchy system was never demolished it still exist in many different other ways that are not harmful to their society.

The Oligarchy system even exist in the United States Of America in ways that you may know but didn't really catch on to it. Such as the U.S Goverment for example the president does not have all the power the power of presidency does not reside in the president it is distributed equally within the president and his/her chairman and cabin. The oligarchy system also play a role in the prison system. The prisons are ran by a warrtent but it is also ran by chairman around him and also correctional officers example of the Oligarchy system is just like the book 1984 cause there are many people believe that it is one person in charge but really it may be a group of people that run the organization.

oligarchy totalitarism

Governed by totalitarism politcal party of mass movement, was the Nazi political party that became the oligarchy of germany, and adolf hitler was the totalitarian leader. Totalitarian movement led by adolf hitler as head of the nazi party in germany he came to power with his good oral skills and he was the charismatic leader that germany needed and wanted at the time. Hitler and his party was the sole source of inspiration of people and a nation to vision them or "brain wash" his people that annnihilation of all enemies was the key to success to do so hitler and his party brain washed people, "alot like big brother" through multiple stupid speaches which people listened to, and strongly agreed with his beliefs because the german people did know any better they were destined to find a leader and hitler was there guy.

the jonestown massacre .

On November 18, 1978 cult leader Jim Jones and his followers died in a South American jungle called "Jonestown" in the British Guyana. The cult was founded in 1956 by Jim Jones and was called the peoples temple, it was a racially integrated church. Jones envisioned a communist community, everyone worked together for the common good. He moved the cult from California to the Guyana. The area was not big enough for all of his followers and many of them got sick. Everyone needed Jone's permission to leave his "utopia", and he didn't let them. U.S. representative went to Jonestown to see what was going on there. The next day the congressman announced he was going to take everyone back to the United States who wanted to leave Jamestown, because some were being held against their will. When the congressman left with the people, some were murdered and wounded before they got to the airport. Jone's ordered everyone to come together for a meeting, he had big kettles filled with grape Kool-Aid poisoned with cyanide and Valium. He ordered everyone to drink it and a total of 912 people died.

And oligarchical system is more dangerous than a dictator, because it's more than one person ruling the people. Under an oligarchical system like in Oceania is alot like my example of "Jonestown" because all of the people are brainwashed into thinking what the leader says is right. But like Winston and Julia they are not brainwashed like some of the people that wanted to leave "Jonestown". But in a way its different because it's only being ruled by one person and in Oceania, it's a whole goverement.

"The rocket bombs which fell daily on London were probably fired by the goverement of Oceania itself, 'just to keep the people frightened.'"-1984 (p127)

This is a way that the whole goverment brainwashed their citizens.

Smiley Face Killers .

The Smiley Face Killers are a cult of men in Minnesota. They are a powerful group of men who target male college students who have a lot going for them. They have gotten away with a lot of murders, due to no one finding out who is involved and who they are. These men must have a lot of power to do what they do, and not just one man is running this cult-there are several. Just like in the society Winston is living in. There is a higher power "Big Brother", but Big Brother has many, many people working for him which makes him even more powerful. This can be very dangerous, because if you try to rebel and take one man out of this Oligarchical government, there's always another to replace him. And with The Smiley Face Killers, if you are on of their victims, it is more than likely that hen they do find you and get you, you will not get away or have a chance of life. Another thing is the Smiley Face Killers enjoy torturing these college males. They will put them in the back seat of vans and drive around for hours and do torturous things to these men before they kill them which is usually by drowning. Just like the oligarchical government is doing to Winston and the proles. They are torturing them by taking away the life as they once knew it, and making them suffer, and when they get a chance to rebel, they kill (vaporize) them. To sum this up the Smiley Face Killers are basically an Oligarchy government just like the one that is controlling the life Winston lives.

United States Oligarchy

I think that the United States is like an oligarchy. There is one appointed leader in (Barack Obama) but yet he still has many people under him that are able to take his spot if anything were to happen. Like in New York city there is a list of only 36,000 people who can carry a gun and most of them on the list are celeberties, billionairs , and politians. The rest are filled up by citizens. But what makes it okay for those people to have the chance and the regular living people out there dont even have the chance. It is because the government is trying to make sure that its people dont fight back against there government. That is an oligarchical society where only certain people can do what they want. Most of them are high in power.

In the end this government that were in only wants us to vote for the people that they give us a chance to vote for. No regular citizen could get elected because they wont have the qualifications or arent smart enough to lead this country. The reason why this country is for sure an oligarchy is because there is only certain people who make the decisions in the end. Our government is alot like Oceania because there is one person that is saying he is making all the decisons but in the end it comes down to him and all of his other helpers to make laws and make other things happen.

1984 Blog Post #2: Oligarchy

 As we have just read in Emmanuel Goldstein's book The Theory & Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, Winston is understanding more and more how the government of Big Brother works. Your assignment: research oligarchy (doesn't have to be about government! think of other places that are controlled by a group of people) in the news or from history and write a 2-3 paragraph blog post comparing your real world example to Oceania. Your post should include a creative yet appropriate title, a picture, a link to the page (NOT Wikipedia, please) where you read about your subject, a quote from Emmanuel Goldstein's book that you can connect to in your analysis, and your initials in the 'Labels' section. Some questions to consider when typing up your post:

• How is an oligarchical system of control even more dangerous than rule by a dictator? What is life like under this kind of rule in Oceania compared to your example from the real world?
• Why do some people desire to become members of an oligarchy? Don't they care about the people they're ruling? Explain and consider the differences between Oceania and your real world example.
• What is there to do for people/citizens being oppressed by an oligarchical set of leaders? Is rebellion less or more of an option? Explain, drawing conclusions between the book and your topic of choice.

Some places to research oligarchy (or controlling groups in general) in the news, around the world, or from the past: Google News, Star Tribune, BBC, and History Channel. Let me know if you find an article/information elsewhere!