“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

Question

-Animal Farm,
George Orwell

Which evidence from the text supports the theme that dictatorships use propaganda to control decision-making in a state?

“All animals are equal.”
“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon.”
“He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves.”
“Sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

Answer 1

The evidence that best supports the theme that dictatorships use propaganda to control decision-making in a state is:

“Sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

This statement illustrates how the leader, Comrade Napoleon, manipulates the fears of the other animals. By suggesting that they might make mistakes in their decision-making, he justifies his own control and undermines their confidence in their abilities to govern themselves. This is a classic tactic of propaganda, as it instills doubt and reliance on the dictator's judgment, reinforcing the idea that the population should not question the authority of the ruler.