Rotation of the Absolute

  

“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

(Lord Acton)

Power, more specifically, societal power dictates that: one who has it has the ability to decide/influence the behavior of individuals as well as the course of events occurring in the land that is considered under his/her dominance. Power in itself has a cyclical tendency, a full rotation of 5 unfortunate stages it tends to go through, when it is absolute. The first and second stages involve the acquisition of absolute power, as well as the gradual disregard for certain emplaced rules. The third and fourth stages deal with the more noticeable decline in the importance of regulations as well as a descent into a chaotic society, and the fifth and final stage revolves around the imminent return to the original ways of the previous holders of absolute power. As demonstrated by Napoleon’s porcine parallel in “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, absolute power is cyclical in nature, as when he obtains absolute power, we can see a gradual but constant decline in justice and peace of rule as well as the final reversion to the originally “inhumane” ways of the autocracy.

“So it was agreed with no further argument, that the milk and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they were ripened) should be reserved for the pigs.”  (Orwell, 36)

The animals entered the first stage of the cycle when a certain absolute power was given to the pigs in Manor , as they were unquestionably smarter and more able, so judged by the animals and themselves. Acquiring this power, the pigs became unquestionable rulers, with the duty to eradicate all traces of the previous rule and asserting that, by completely opposing the previous rule, they would initiate a utopian lifestyle for the residing animals. All belief and faith was placed in those leading pigs by their loyal and trusting proletariat, and so came the acquisition of absolute power and the promise for a better rule. As time went by rules were emplaced, stringent and fair, welcomed by the citizenry of the farm. But a slowly progressing fissure developed between the knuckles of the iron fist.

“Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.” (Henry Kissinger)

What with the abundance in choice and possibilities, the holders of power, the mischievous pigs, had the ability to command the animals and were consequently inclined to take advantage of the situation. Doing so represents the commencement of the second stage, the subtle decline of the power holder’s regard for rules. The simple con that was the play on the trust for egotistical purposes, meant that a door had been open: the holder’s of absolute power, Napoleon particularly, had advantages and could resort to slight manipulation, as it was in their ability to do. All the while, the rules that represented the values of Animalism and condemned the selfishness and self-servicing ways of the previous rule were becoming forgotten by the new rulers in question. This signifies yet another step closer to their ruling predecessors, whose rules were supposedly to be eradicated. It is a step closer to significant deceit.

“And so the tail of confessions and executions went on, until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon’s feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood, which had been unknown since the expulsion of Jones” (Orwell, 84)

Months went by before the pigs and their farm animals entered the third stage, where rules are changed and uneven for the rulers and the common populace: the inauguration of anarchy. As time flew by, the realization at the advantages of incontestable power and definite obedience of the public became clear to the pigs, the fissure in the fist became a pronounced crevice. The pigs, experiencing the associated luxuries of power, which the previous rule, humans, had experienced, made them wonder and attempt to achieve the same. There is a definite change of focus, from the cause, Animalism, to fully self-sufficient actions in order to forever exist with undeniable control. Napoleon creates a sense of anarchy within the leading party as he hires a not-so-secret secret service to eradicate all of his opponents and to establish him as the official leader to the farm. This breach of rules regarding violence, respect and enemy criteria signifies a step closer to the previous autocracy the animals had rebelled against in the first place.

“Power gradually extirpates for the mind every humane and gentle virtue.”

(Edmund Burke)

Soon enough Napoleon entered the fourth stage of power cycle, where the rules are altered and not applicable to figures of power, such as Napoleon, who are officially of higher esteem, and here happens the full dictatorial transformation: the “kingdom” falls apart at a consistent rate, corruption proliferates in the rule and lives/freedom of the populace is at stake. As all the so-called traitors’ throats are ripped out and a pile of corpses amasses itself at the feet of the puny leader, we can see how the rule of Napoleon has desecrated the fundamental concepts of his rule, as well as the dignity of his citizens and the sanctity of life itself. The fact that Napoleon now holds the animals under an unforgiving, senseless dictatorship signifies the final ascent of the community into governmental anarchy, the same state they were in, in the previous rule. Napoleon and his absolute power then near the full cycle, resembling the barbaric autocracy more and more.

“ “Gentlemen,” concluded Napoleon, “I give you the same toast as before, but in a different form. Fill your glasses to the brim. Gentlemen, here is my toast: To the prosperity of Manor Farm!” ”   (Orwell, 140)

And so towards the end, Napoleon enters the fifth and final stage: the commencement of the cycle. With his gradual disregard for the dignity and future of his followers, as well as his distortion of the fundamentals of his movement, with deceitful propaganda and his violent control over good individuals, he has become exactly like the autocracy. Napoleon, with absolute power at hand has successfully become a delusional dictator, a slave-driver or sorts and the worst of traitors. As he sits with his previous enemies of whom he spoke so badly and lied to his people about, he delivers a proud, although drunken speech, congratulating their “superior kind” on the spotless exploitation of their “lower classes”. Napoleon raises a toast with his paw and relishes over his newfound comrades: the oppressors. There is no longer a difference between him and what he fought against, as the everlasting thirst for the acquisition of “more” has rendered him famished to resemble his human parallels, and live in careless, gourmand luxury.  In retrospect, individuals with absolute power at hand are all the same; cunning, deceitful and ethically volatile. Those who acquire power fall prey to temptation and take advantage of their control, only to resemble all previous dictators. Absolute power is a cycle of destruction, but also of conformity, an ovoid path for control dependency, where enemies all resemble one another and it’s almost impossible to tell which is which.

“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

(Orwell, 141)