Animal Farm

I first read George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ 23 years ago but recently I’ve come across a lot of references to it in connection to cliques and power-struggles relating to an internet messageboard that I spend a lot of time on. So, it seemed like a good idea to re-read it and remind myself of the point it makes – basically that power corrupts and that the maintenance of power relies on the presence of a group who are willing to be led but insufficiently astute to rein in the excesses of their leaders until it is too late.

It’s an easy read; you have to suspend reality of course to allow the notion of a farm run by talking animals not to interfere with the message, but the message comes through clearly. But then, that’s what you would expect from a classic book.