@theogrin Yeah. You’re right that so many people miss that.

And the signs are there when Winston sees how O’Brien lives. They do not have the stomach to eradicate everything of the old because they themselves are utter raging hypocrites.

I’m pretty sure Orwell intended Winston to be absolutely completely wrong when he decided the only hope lay with the Proles. The Proles don’t give a shit, and were never going to give a shit.

But you have to recruit the Inner Party from somewhere, and the very nature of these states is that your politburo and your military are in on it, and full of people who would, if given the chance, seize power for themselves.

The leadership of totalitarian states are going to inevitably degenerate into fighting like rats in a sack. It’s unavoidable.