...A Marxist Examination of Animal Farm Literature has been around since the beginning of time; it is the means of expressing our pain and class struggles. Criticism in literature is concerned with the way in which literature examines the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of individuals. In the novella Animal Farm written by George Orwell in 1945 Orwell examines the power and greed of the few individuals and the struggles and oppression of the many who work. Animal Farm is an allegory of the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union under Stalin. The story takes place on a farm were, the men running the farm are exploiting the animals and steeling all the animals labour. The animals decide to rebel against the men and run the farm themselves. The farm is run by two pigs Napoleon and Snowball. Snowball is based on Leon Trotsky, a communist who believed that all workers deserved a share in profits and equal rights. Napoleon is based on Stalin, a though man who betrayed his people and got overwhelm with power and money, Stalin killed Trotsky and became the leader of the Soviet. In the novella Napoleon chasses Snowball away and he takes complete control of the Farm. Napoleon betrays the animals and the rules set at the beginning, he exploited the other animals. Orwell’s book Animal Farm is a Marxist examination of the Russian revelation. Marxism was started by Karl Marx, born in 1818, he was a man who saw the struggles between class and between the oppressed...
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...Sanchez April 27, 2008 Animal Cruelty Imagine being a spectator of the most gruesome and inhumane act known to man. Imagine staring deep into a dog’s eye, a dog that is about to embark on the journey of his life. For many animals, including dogs, cats, and farm animals, death is the only destination listed on their life itinerary. Throughout the United states and the rest of the world, animals are being gruesomely cut up and skinned, being experimented on for research, and mainly being mistreated for the most important source of human pleasure. Money to most means success, especially industries like bio-medical research, farming industries, and entertainment; companies in this industry are willing to do anything in their power to gain profit and power, including taking lives of creatures, known as animals. Exploitation according to the Encarta World English Dictionary is “the use of development of something to produce a benefit”. That “something” in this case infers animals. As many as 115 million animals are tested and executed in U.S. laboratories every year. The sad truth about all the inhumane research experimenters are carrying on is that it is paid by the typical American taxpayer without their consent. That’s right, the experiments including the injection of chemicals into rat’s stomachs, the isolation chambers where monkeys are separated from their mothers, and the enhancing of a dogs thigh muscle tissue is all made available by animal product consumers. All those...
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...01-27-2013 Why Don’t We Eat Dogs? What makes some animals better than others? Or better yet, why do we eat certain animals while it is a crime to eat others? It is questions like these that many people would hope to ignore forever or rather avoid. But as humans, these are the type of questions which define us as better beings and often challenge us to think and act in a way that’s worthy of our better capabilities, intellect, conscience, and hearts. If only an animal would ever speak or rise up the way many human rights activist did in the past in defense of human equality regardless of race or skin color. Surely we would have massive protests and riots from pigs, cows, lambs, goats, and many other animals whose rights are just completely ignore by the vast majority. It is sad to see that these rights are only applied in favor of a handful of animals, while others are locked away and confined to feedlots where the powerful meat industry obliterates their rights and turn their lives into profitable pieces of meat. Though it is legal by law, culture, and trade, the maltreatment and killing of these animals to feed the inhumane and greedy meat for profit industry must stop not only because it violates animal rights, but also because it promotes an agenda of animal abuse, exploitation, and unhealthy human nutrition for generations to come. Instead, the Government should partner up with animal rights activist groups and launch a national animal cruelty awareness campaign, impose a feedlot...
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...retain power by twisting the truth in their favor. This is what the character Napoleon does in Animal Farm, by George Orwell. Corruption of power leads to the exploitation of the weak through fear and manipulation. Snowball was a perfect leader, with excellent ideals and did everything for others. Napoleon, on the other hand, was a diabolical leader who sought power. To do this, Napoleon directs his ‘right hand man,’ Squealer, to spread rumors and lies to make Napoleon seem perfect. After Napoleon took charge, Squealer said, “I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself” (50). Napoleon...
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...the revitalization of Africa. It envisions nothing less than the complete transformation of Africa into an economic and social powerhouse – from being the basket case of the world to a guiding light - showing the people of the world an example of living in peace with each other and in harmony with Nature. Although great thought and years of research have gone into the formulation of this entirely new economic development model, this book is not simply a treatise on economic theory, but rather a practical outline that is at this very moment being gradually implemented. Economies are confined by the laws that protect and govern their development. The policy changes put forth in this model are just that - individual economic policy changes put in place to allow the economy to develop in a way that is most beneficial to the citizenry of an African village. This model does not rely on a new type of man inhabiting the African village. Men in our model make decisions based on individual incentive founded in self-interest, as it exists within the confines of law. Thus the economic underpinnings of this model do not rely on a selfless citizenry acting for the betterment of the whole to remain logically consistent. With the goals of minimizing exploitation of people and degradation of...
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...contrast to anthropocentric that focus primarily on human needs and interest. Generally anthropocentric school of thought will put the human needs above those of other species and nature creating a ethical issue as well as environmental issues. This is due to the thoughts that the animals, plants, and nature are all tools to satisfy human needs. For example, the need for human homes is greater than that of the animals living in a certain area. Thus the animals would be relocated to suit the human needs. On the other hand, with Biocentric the need for human homes is just as important as the need for animals to stay in their environmental habitat. Furthermore there is controversy with the biocentric school of thought in regards to the fact that humans are the most intelligent dominant species on earth. They are rapidly growing which should mean that their needs be put in front of those of the smaller less intelligent species. It also does not give thought to the need of one species to be more than that of another species. For example humans have a growing population and need more and more food to survive, this means that more and more farms will be built to satisfy this need. Moreover more animals will be used up to satisfy this need as well. Additionally there are concerns with the anthropocentric school of thought due to its favoritism to human needs and interests. Although it is expected that a species should find protection and shelter for its population, humans have gone...
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...Merissa Acuna Aretha Matt English 102 5 November 2014 Animals and the Exemption of Their Rights Almost every American grew up eating some kind of meat or wearing some type of fur, leather, or wool, we grow up going to zoos and circuses, and some people even have pets like birds and rabbits at home in cages. We unknowingly exploit animals in every way possible. The impact that our actions have on these animals is never taken into consideration. Due to animals serving us humans several different purposes, the animal is forgotten. The idea of whether animals should have rights is at a peak in controversy. Animal rights activist believe animals have legal and moral rights the same way humans do. On the other hand there are several corporations...
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...Africa is a continent that is filled with corruption. This corruption lead to the allowance of exploitation of the African people, decreasing their quality of life. The exploitation and corruption occurred in the workplace, wages, political systems, and more. This causes many issues in the continent such as poverty, and illness. This corruption shows that people are willing to exploit others in order to make profits, but that people will always fight against the exploitation to better their communities lives. It also shows that Africans were dehumanized in the process to exploit them to the extent that occurred. This dehumanization of Africans affects how they are treated, and has been hard to reverse the effects. Their efforts to better Africa shows that human spirit is hard to break, and that a change needs unity in a community. Africa is filled with corruption that has had many causes...
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...written by Lucy Michaels and the Agriculture Project at Corporate Watch What’s wrong with Supermarkets www.corporatewatch.org.uk What's Wrong with Supermarkets? Overview: Supermarkets sweep up 2 3 10 11 The supermarkets we know today started in Britain with the Cooperative Movement in the 19th century. This was a group of independent local retailers controlled by its consumer members, who sold un-adulterated foods at prices working people could afford. It was in post-war Britain that the foundations were laid for the supermarket revolution; the 1948 Agriculture Act initiating the ‘cheap food’ policy that is with us today. With government subsidies to farmers, new machinery and new chemicals arriving on farms, food production rocketed. 17 17 20 23 24 27...
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...23, 2012 Beef…and why it should not be for dinner A vegan is defined as a person who refrains from using any animal product for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Therefore, with the human population increasing on the planet, putting more and more stress on the planet’s capacity to produce food and renew its resources, veganism is becoming more and more popular because it is considered to be a conscientious way of life. For some it is for religious and personal reasons, for others it has to do with the fair treatment of animals. In any case, those whose diet has been traditionally meat-based, the vegan lifestyle is a responsible, choice for very legitimate reasons. Think about where the animal products you consume come from? You are probably picturing grassy farmlands with cows leisurely walking around, pigs happily rolling around in the mud, and coops filled with chickens cozily laying eggs, right? Wrong. These farms rarely exist today. Instead, cows are kept pregnant to continuously produce milk, pigs are kept in windowless concrete cages, and 250,000 hens are piled in one building to lay their eggs. This is what is known as a factory farm. Factory farms are overcrowded filled with terrified, suffering animals. These conditions are unacceptable. By eating meat and dairy products, or purchasing leather or fur, you are supporting these factory farms and their poor conditions. In order to stand up to the industry, we must choose a better, more ethical way of living...
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...Name Date Introduction Bio means life while diversity means variation in the various aspects of things. Biodiversity entails the extent of variation of forms of life within a given planet or species. The number of plants’ species, microorganisms, the great diversity of species’ genes, animals, the various planets’ ecosystem such as deserts and coral reefs forms part of biodiversity on earth. However politics and power have greatly influenced the shaky balance. There has been a great biodiversity loss since the human race emerged. (Miller, D. A. 2008 p.23) Biodiversity has as well affected cultural diversities and thus should be keenly dealt with. This ranges from the various types of traditional foods used by the various societies. Biodiversity loss is rendering them extinct. Physical Elements of Biodiversity Loss In the physical reality much can be read on biodiversity loss. For example, the emergence of new breeds of animals and plants can be seen being developed in any other corner of the world. People are keenly trying out new breeds as a means of curbing food shortage. For example, the genetically modified food has been termed as a way of reducing food shortages. This has impacted negatively to human health. Population decline of species, a research done in UK in 2008 clearly revealed that the population of bats was greatly declining as a result of fragmentation of their habitation, intensification...
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...of life on this planet. “These alteration we have made to our ecosystem have contributed to considerable net gain in human well-being and economic development, these gains have been achieved at growing cost in the form of the degradation of many ecosystem services” (Leemans, 2003). Effects of human activity on ecosystems Humans and technologies are disturbing the trophic structure, energy flow and the chemical balance of ecosystems worldwide. Humans move nutrients from one place to another in an ecosystem. Example; Soil from a farm can be transported into streams, and lakes, diminishing nutrients in an area causing excess to develop in another area, and disturbing chemical cycles in both areas. Introduction of toxic chemicals by humans into ecosystems have caused these chemicals to be consumed and metabolized by organisms. These chemicals eventually get consumed by animals, which are then part of the animal’s structure (or becomes part of their muscle tissue). Example: Mercury was regularly put into rivers and lakes in an insoluble form. The bacteria in the mud transformed it into Methyl Mercury, this extremely toxic compound collected in the tissue of organisms including those who ate the fish in contaminated water. Economic...
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...a method of food and fiber production which exploits animals in a confined environment (Marcus). As the demand for meat continues to increase, the modern agricultural practice of factory farming also continues to increase to meet the food consumption of humans. Factory farms consist of a large number of animals confined in small spaces to minimize operation costs; this mass production has decreased the price of meat as the factories produce an excess amount of meat to satisfy the demand. However, although Americans are fulfilled with the abundant amount of cheap meat, the practice of factory farming causes serious consequences for animals, humans, and the environment. This unhealthy practice has led to problems such as pollution, inhuman animal treatment, and human illness. Therefore, for all these reasons, many people have stated that factory farming is morally and ethically wrong. Since factory farms wield tremendous power in our society, they have become a controversial topic, with many people questioning whether they are detrimental or beneficial to our society. While opponents believe that the costs of factory farming outweigh the benefits, supporters rather believe that factory farming is needed in our current society. The factory farming agriculture today differs drastically from the traditional animal agriculture. While animals in traditional American farms graze and are able to exercise, animals in factory farms are forced to live in cramped, filthy, unnatural conditions...
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...because it has most of the important nutrients in which plants need to grow; those plants in turn feed animals and humans. Dirt is also where much of our fresh water is stored. Fresh water travels through the soil being filtered as it goes. It often ends up in underwater rivers called aquifers where we can get it when we need it. Thanks to dirt, we have clean, fresh water to drink and food to eat. Many industries and activities are having an adverse impact on dirt for example agriculture and runoff. The current type of agriculture uses monocultures. A monoculture is when a large amount of one crop planted in a field. This has detrimental effects on the soil because this crop takes in the nutrient out of the soil, leaving it deficient and unable to sustain other crops. The monocultures also attract many pests. Since there are no other plants that would attract other pests, which in turn would make these pests compete and therefore regulate the amount of insects, farmers uses a large amount of pesticides and insecticides. Farmers overuse these toxic substances and because the soil is deprived, it is not able to take in the extra pesticides. Therefore, the pesticides run off into nearby streams, which cause eutrophication, creating a anoxic environment. Due to these problems, small farmers are unable to support their crops, which cause them to lose their jobs to industrial farms. Recently the U.S. agricultural industry consistently experienced record profits, but this agricultural...
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...and the global economy than one might think. McDonald’s has a negative impact on the environment in more ways than one. Aside from the pollution from factories where the food is produced, the unusable waste from nearly all the food they sell, and the massive amounts of power and energy that are required to keep all of the branches up and running, this corporation is destroying natural rain forests. According to http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Business/Allegedly_Unethical_Firms/McDonald’s/, McDonald’s likes to purchase their meat from privatised farms, which is not a problem in and of itself. The conflict arises when these privatised farmlands are built on the land where a lush rainforest once resided. So not only is McDonald’s polluting our air, but they are destroying a large part of what would help to clean it out. The trees that are levelled do more than just clean the air, though. They are also homes to thousands of animals that are likely killed or made homeless as the trees are torn down. This is not exactly a healthy step in making our world a better place. The people at McDonald’s treat their employees no better than they treat our environment. McDonald’s staff are frequently underpaid for the amount of time that they work (which often extends into illegal amounts of labour hours), get little to no benefits along with this gross underpayment, and are oftentimes forced to work in unhealthy and unsanitary conditions. The farmers from which they get their food are...
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