Orwell and Russia

For readers in the Soviet Union and later in Russia Orwell’s last novel has never been “dystopian” – they recognized every aspect of their own country: ‘the system of organized lying’, rewriting of history, suppression of any independent thought, ruthless persecution of dissenters.

The lecture will discuss ‘totalitarian ideas’ which Orwell ‘tried to draw … out to their logical consequences’. It will follow them through to the current situation, when after a short-lived attempt to break with the past, Russia has gradually restored its totalitarian regime inevitably bringing it to war – the regime’s intrinsic feature, according to Orwell.

Apart from the similarities between the current Russian and Soviet methods, the difference between them will also be analysed: more drastic methods of Soviet authorities, who simply banned Orwell’s books and imprisoned those who possessed them, contrast with the approach of Russia’s current rulers, who manage to stifle critical thinking of the country’s citizens largely by manipulating their minds.

Please note that this event will be delivered in Russian.