Posted by Mike on June 06, 2002 at 19:28:50:
In Reply to: What have people often misunderstood about Orwell??? posted by Williams on June 06, 2002 at 18:11:26:
Just about everything... Like any book (Bible, Koran, Lord of the Rings) it's open to wide interpretation.
When 1984 was first published every one thought that Orwell was an simply "anti-communist",and thereby by default a "capitalist". In America where there was a general fear that the communists would take over Orwell's book was used an arguement against them.
However Orwell was against any form of dictatorship, whether it was communist, facist OR capitalist. Orwell still maintained that he was a "socialist" - however having fought in Spain he hated what socialism had become under Stalin.
Other examples who can see on this web site in previous postings. Neo-nazi's try and use Orwell's idea about the past being recreated by a powerful political elite to try and argue that the Hoocaust never happened (when in fact they are doing the very things Orwell warned against).