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[[Image:Hgdctuy6.jpg|right|thumb|George Orwell (Eric Blair)]]

[[Image:Hgdctuy6.jpg|right|thumb|George Orwell (Eric Blair)]]

'''George Orwell''' is the pen name of '''Eric Arthur Blair''' (June 25, 1903  - January 21, 1950), a leading and [[Essay:Quantifying Openmindedness|open-minded]] [[English]] writer, essayist and journalist who became critical of his ideological allies on the [[Left]].  He hated [[imperialism]]<ref>"I went to Burma and joined the Indian Imperial Police. This was an armed police, a sort of gendarmerie very similar to the Spanish Guardia Civil or the Garde Mobile in France. I stayed five years in the service. It did not suit me and made me hate imperialism" [http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/articles/ukrainian-af-pref.htm]</ref> and grew more [[conservative]], adopting and raising a child and becoming a member of the [[Church of England]].<ref>"There are nevertheless four aspects of Orwell's later work which are more closely linked to conservative than to left-wing styles of thinking." [http://revel.unice.fr/cycnos/document.html?id=1391]</ref>  The tension between the increasingly conservative Orwell and the perception of him as a democratic socialist may account for some of his interesting word inventions like "doublethink".  Because of his prominent [[liberal]] past, Orwell's conservative writings were accepted and praised by the clueless liberal intelligentsia.   

'''George Orwell''' is the pen name of '''Eric Arthur Blair''' (June 25, 1903  - January 21, 1950), a leading and [[Essay:Quantifying Openmindedness|open-minded]] [[English]] writer, essayist and journalist who became critical of his ideological allies on the [[Left]] after realising its oppressive and totalitarian nature.  He hated [[imperialism]]<ref>"I went to Burma and joined the Indian Imperial Police. This was an armed police, a sort of gendarmerie very similar to the Spanish Guardia Civil or the Garde Mobile in France. I stayed five years in the service. It did not suit me and made me hate imperialism" [http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/articles/ukrainian-af-pref.htm]</ref> and grew more [[conservative]], adopting and raising a child and becoming a member of the [[Church of England]].<ref>"There are nevertheless four aspects of Orwell's later work which are more closely linked to conservative than to left-wing styles of thinking." [http://revel.unice.fr/cycnos/document.html?id=1391]</ref>  The tension between the increasingly conservative Orwell and the perception of him as a democratic socialist may account for some of his interesting word inventions like "doublethink".  Because of his prominent [[liberal]] past, Orwell's conservative writings were accepted and praised by the clueless liberal intelligentsia.   

"Orwellian" is a term in tribute to his mockery of political attempts to control and redefine terminology.

"Orwellian" is a term in tribute to his mockery of political attempts to control and redefine terminology.

Unlike most writers, Orwell's greatest works came late in his life.  He harshly criticized [[communism]] and [[totalitarianism]] in ''[[1984]]'', his finest novel, as well as in his shorter fictional work ''[[Animal Farm]]'', an allegorical reference to the [[Russian Revolution]].  These works were far more significant than his first novel, based on his experiences on the Imperial Police Force in Burma, ''Burmese Dаys'', which explored the evils of coloniаlism.  His highly influential essay, "Politics and the English Language," attacked the [[liberal obfuscation]] which was already present in his day, and championed clear speech.

Unlike most writers, Orwell's greatest works came late in his life.  He harshly criticized [[communism]], [[socialism]] and [[totalitarianism]] in ''[[1984]]'', his finest novel, as well as in his shorter fictional work ''[[Animal Farm]]'', an allegorical reference to the [[Russian Revolution]].  These works were far more significant than his first novel, based on his experiences on the Imperial Police Force in Burma, ''Burmese Dаys'', which explored the evils of coloniаlism.  His highly influential essay, "Politics and the English Language," attacked the [[liberal obfuscation]] which was already present in his day, and championed clear speech.

The inspiration for Orwell's growth into conservatism remains unexplored.  Likely reasons include his open-mindedness, his adopting and then raising (due to his wife's untimely death) a child, and his disillusionment with Leftists while fighting on their side in [[Spain]].

The inspiration for Orwell's growth into conservatism remains unexplored.  Likely reasons include his open-mindedness, his adopting and then raising (due to his wife's untimely death) a child, and his disillusionment with Leftists while fighting on their side in [[Spain]].

He became disillusioned with the Spanish government's policy of withholding arms from the POUM and the Anarchists, which he saw as an attempt by the Communists to water down the revolutionary nature of the Anti-Fascist resistance, and centralize power in the hands of the Moscow-backed Communist Party. Taking a bullet through his neck but surviving, Orwell was invalided to Barcelona, where he witnessed the [[Stalin]]ist repression of [[Trotsky]]ist and [[Anarchist]] parties. Orwell and his wife were forced to escape from Spain as fugitives, after the POUM was banned by the increasingly repressive regime.  

He became disillusioned with the Spanish government's policy of withholding arms from the POUM and the Anarchists, which he saw as an attempt by the Communists to water down the revolutionary nature of the Anti-Fascist resistance, and centralize power in the hands of the Moscow-backed Communist Party. Taking a bullet through his neck but surviving, Orwell was invalided to Barcelona, where he witnessed the [[Stalin]]ist repression of [[Trotsky]]ist and [[Anarchist]] parties. Orwell and his wife were forced to escape from Spain as fugitives, after the POUM was banned by the increasingly repressive regime.  

Despite his persecution, Orwell initially continued to support the Republic upon his return to England, viewing a Communist-dominated Spain as better than a Nationalist Spain. He recounted his experiences in Spain in the book ''Homage to Catalonia''.<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Homage_to_Catalonia/index.html]</ref> He remained a socialist, and was for a time in the late 1930s a member of the Independent Labour Party, although he split from the ILP over its opposition to [[World War II]]. Orwell served in the Home Guаrd during the war.

Despite his persecution by the Spanish revolutionaries, Orwell initially continued to support the Republic upon his return to England, viewing a Communist-dominated Spain as better than a Nationalist Spain. He recounted his experiences in Spain in the book ''Homage to Catalonia''.<ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Homage_to_Catalonia/index.html]</ref> He remained a socialist, and was for a time in the late 1930s a member of the Independent Labour Party, although he split from the ILP over its opposition to [[World War II]]. Orwell served in the Home Guаrd during the war.

In 1941, Orwell wrote his essay “The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius”, in which he summarized Britain's wartime situation, and expressed his political opinions. He called for a particularly English form of socialism, which would democratically replace the capitalist model and create a fairer society, while being informed by the most attractive English characteristics, such as love of privacy and law abidance.

In 1941, Orwell wrote his essay “The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius”, in which he summarized Britain's wartime situation, and expressed his political opinions. He called for a particularly English form of socialism, which would democratically replace the capitalist model and create a fairer society, while being informed by the most attractive English characteristics, such as love of privacy and law abidance.

Orwell had only ten years left in his life when he returned.  During that period he and his wife adopted a baby boy, but Orwell's wife died shortly thereafter.   

Orwell had only ten years left in his life when he returned.  During that period he and his wife adopted a baby boy, but Orwell's wife unfortunately died shortly thereafter.   

In those ten years Orwell wrote his famous [[anti-Communist]] fictional works, demonstrating how much his views had moved to the right from his youth.  First he spent three years writing ''Animаl Farm'' (1944), and then perhaps five years on the longer novel ''1984'' (1949). Orwell continued to espouse forms of [[socialism]]<ref>[http://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/As_I_Please/english/eaip_03]</ref> right up to his death, but utilized his position as a regular columnist for the left-labor ''Tribune'' paper to strongly criticize the USSR.  Such criticism was unusual for a [[left-wing]]er of the period, but Orwell was so well respected that his position was secure. "I belong to the left and must work with it," he declared in 1945.<ref>http://revel.unice.fr/cycnos/document.html?id=1391</ref>  He died of [[tuberculosis]] in 1950.

In those ten years Orwell wrote his famous [[anti-Communist]] and [[anti-totalitarian]] fictional works, demonstrating how much his views had moved to the right from his youth.  First he spent three years writing ''Animаl Farm'' (1944), and then perhaps five years on the longer novel ''1984'' (1949). Orwell continued to espouse forms of [[socialism]]<ref>[http://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/As_I_Please/english/eaip_03]</ref> right up to his death, but utilized his position as a regular columnist for the left-labor ''Tribune'' paper to strongly criticize the USSR and other socialist countries.  Such criticism was unusual for a [[left-wing]]er of the period, but Orwell was so well respected that his position was secure. "I belong to the left and must work with it," he declared in 1945.<ref>http://revel.unice.fr/cycnos/document.html?id=1391</ref>  He died of [[tuberculosis]] in 1950.

==Quotes==

==Quotes==