erstanding that war, by providing a rallying point for national pride, distracts people from their individual concerns. The Party encourages celibacy, for example, recognizing "that sexual privation induced hysteria, which was desirable because it could be transformed into war fever and leader worship" (Orwell, 1949/1984, p. 110). Until the Cold War years that followed the novel's publication, wars had brought societies together and (for the winning side, at least) rejuvenated entire economies.
In Orwell's world, there may not even actually be a war at all. The manufacture of a common enemy can be a dangerous but useful tool of government. Contemporary American politics offers some excellent examples of his point: George Bush used the Gulf War to raise his popularity and build national enthusiasm, while critics observe that the lack of war during Bill Clinton's presidency will ultimately make his accomplishments, whatever they may be, less noteworthy.
"Freedom Is Slavery" expresses another important theme in the novel, the argument that free will and freedom of choice can be dangerous threats to the state. Denying individuals the right to live as they please gives the Party its power. Orwell presents Smith's dissatisfaction and desire to break away from this control as a fundamental human drive, perhaps the seed from which humanity itself grows. The right to decide one's own life course, even if the choice results in death or deprivation, is the most essential human right. Orwell is clear that Smith's story ends in tragedy, precisely because "The struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself" (1949/1984, p. 245). His narrative powerfully illustrates that freedom is not slavery at all, though it may be messy and dangerous and confusing. Freedom is essential to the full achievement of the individual's humanity.
Finally, "Ignorance Is Strength" emphasizes one of Orwell's most intriguing concepts. In Sm...