Totalitarian regimes are commonly characterized by the suppression of individual freedoms and the use of propaganda and censorship to control public opinion. The ruling party or leader typically exercises absolute authority and seeks to eliminate all forms of opposition or dissent. The idea of a totalitarian government controlling its population, from the fictional dystopian world of George Orwell’s 1984 to the realities of contemporary North Korea, has long captured the human imagination. The devastating effects of such regimes, including how they manipulate their citizens to maintain power, are not only portrayed in reality, but also in various forms of literature, film, and historical events. The comparison of the authoritarian North Korean government to the repressive Party in 1984 shines a light on the nature of totalitarianism and its impact on individuals and society. The Party in George Orwell's 1984 and the North Korean government both control their citizens through various methods, highlighting the power dynamics at play in government control.
The Party in 1984 and the North Korean government both limit the access and knowledge of information for their citizens through television screens and media. In George Orwell's novel 1984, the Party uses television screens to control and manipulate the thoughts and actions of the citizens. These screens, called telescreens, are present in every room and public space, and broadcast government propaganda and surveillance footage. Orwell depicts the telescreen as a ubiquitous device that could “receive and transmit simultaneously”, and “any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it” (Orwell 3). These telescreens can concurrently broadcast propaganda and messages from the Party to citizens, and receive audio and visual information through built-in microphones and cameras. The Party controls what is broadcasted on the telescreens, using the news to disseminate government propaganda and censor any information that does not align with their ideology.
In Part One, Chapter 5, Winston describes the Party’s control over information: "Day and night the telescreens bruised your ears with statistics proving that people today … lived longer, worked shorter hours, were bigger, healthier, stronger, happier, more intelligent, better educated, than the people of fifty years ago" (Orwell 66). By constantly bombarding citizens with positive messages, the Party creates the illusion of progress and improvement. The telescreens are not just a tool for communication, but also a means of control and domination. They serve as a tool for the Party to control the thoughts and beliefs of the citizens, creating a false sense of reality and suppressing any dissent. Similar to the dystopian society in 1984, North Korea uses methods to control the interpretation and understanding of information to its citizens. The country’s government possesses heavy state-controlled media: “The information landscape in the North is tightly controlled. … it is illegal even to own or possess a radio or television set capable of being tuned to any station other than the official North Korean media” (King 19). All media outlets such as television and radio are state-controlled and censored. As a result, only channels pre-approved by the government are permitted, and their sole purpose is to promote North Korean propaganda and the regime’s ideology. Citizens who watch outside television or access any unauthorized media face severe consequences, “Ordinary North Koreans caught listening to foreign broadcasts risk harsh punishments, such as forced labor” (BBC 23). Furthermore, “Accessing phones, computers, televisions, radios or media content that are not sanctioned by the government is illegal, and considered “anti-socialist behavior” to be severely punished.” (World Report 22). The government's control over information is pervasive. These measures of strict censorship and severe punishment for accessing outside information demonstrate the government's deep-rooted fear of nonconformity and commitment to controlling its citizens. Consequently, most North Koreans lack exposure to alternative perspectives, hindering their ability to form independent opinions or critically evaluate their government's actions. By controlling the interpretation and understanding of information through forms of media, both regimes limit the range of thought and discourage resisting ideas, effectively maintaining their power and control over their respective societies.
In addition to limiting access of information to control their citizens, the Party in 1984 and the North Korean government use lists and databases to categorize their population, creating a climate of fear and enforcing compliance through coercion. In 1984, the Party uses lists and databases to monitor and control the population. The Party maintains a list of its members, which is constantly updated and revised based on loyalty and performance. In chapter one of 1984, Winston Smith reflects on the fate of people who have been “vaporized” by the Party, describing the consequence as "Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten" (Orwell 20). Party members are constantly under surveillance, and any deviation from the Party line is recorded in their files, which can be used against them later. These records serve as a potent means for the Party to maintain control over its citizens and prevent any deviation. Living in a constant state of fear due to pervasive surveillance, the population had "no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment" (Orwell 3) as Winston says when describing the surveillance conditions of Oceania. Through constant surveillance, the Party creates repression and fear among the members. The North Korean government's practices closely resemble those depicted in George Orwell's novel 1984. Rather than using blacklists to cause oppression among its citizens, North Korea employs a caste system called Songbun that classifies citizens into different social classes. An individual’s Songbun class is difficult to improve, but it can be easily downgraded for multiple reasons, such as “if you get in trouble through committing criminal or political offenses, or fail to cooperate with regime officials, or if a family member gets into such trouble” (Park 19). The system impacts many aspects of life in North Korea: “North Korea uses songbun, a socio-political classification system… that groups people into varying classes including ‘loyal,’ ‘wavering,’ or ‘hostile,’ discriminating against lower classed persons in areas including employment, residence, and schooling” (World Report 2020). Individuals who are placed lower on the list face discrimination and often cannot obtain jobs or housing. The government tightly controls the classification system and uses it as a tool for political repression and social control, violating basic human rights and perpetuating a culture of fear and discrimination. Both the Party in 1984 and the North Korean government use lists and databases to categorize and control their citizens, acting as a powerful tool for authoritarian governments to maintain power and suppress dissent. By erasing an individual's existence or downgrading their social status, governments can effectively silence their voices and eliminate any potential threats to their regime.
Besides keeping databases and lists to sort their citizens, both regimes alter their history to advance their narrative. In 1984, the Ministry of Truth creates and disseminates information that supports the Party's ideology, which is based on the concept of Ingsoc. By altering history, the Party manipulates the perception of the present and shapes the future according to its desires. Early on in the book, Winston reflects on the power of the Party to control not just the present, but also the past: “If all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed – if all records told the same tale – then the lie passed into history and became truth” (Orwell 32). In a society where everyone accepts the same lie, that lie will become the truth, even if it is not based on reality or fact. The Party has a strong belief that they have the power to shape reality by controlling the past, present, and future; if individuals are only exposed to one version of events, they will come to accept it as the truth, even if it is a blatant lie. The Party uses various slogans in an effort to subdue the citizens, one of which is "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past" (Orwell 32). By having full control over history, the Ministry of Truth helps the Party maintain its grip on power by suppressing opposition and manipulating the thoughts of the population. The North Korean government performs similar practices as the Ministry of Truth, as they consistently rewrite history. Jang Song Thaek, a previous leading figure in the government of North Korea was executed in 2013 due to accusations of treason. Shortly after the execution, “North Korean authorities have deleted any references to Jang. They have also removed pictures with Jang’s face, and have edited out scenes from videos where Jang appeared” (Lankov 14). By removing pictures, videos, and any other forms of media that depict Jang, the North Korean government is attempting to erase any memory of him from the public consciousness. By controlling the narrative and manipulating its history, they are able to maintain a tight grip on power and suppress any potential opposition. To further support North Korea’s agenda and maintain authority, “North Korea’s leaders may remove or distort the country’s historical facts and truths at their own will” (Lankov 14). The government goes to great lengths to ensure that its version of history is the only one that is known. In a society where the government has the power to regulate the past, present, and future, the people are left with no choice but to accept the version of reality that is presented to them. The Party in George Orwell’s 1984 and North Korea’s regime prioritize controlling their citizens by manipulating history. By distorting or removing information that does not fit with their desired narrative, they are able to ensure that their version of reality is the only one that is known, effectively suppressing opposition and maintaining their power. Whether it is through the Ministry of Truth or the North Korean government, the power to control history is the key to controlling the present and the future.
Oppressive regimes have the ability to exercise absolute control over their citizens by using various methods to maintain power and suppress opposition. The Party in George Orwell's 1984 and the North Korean government both limit access to information and categorize their populations, creating a climate of fear and enforcing compliance through coercion. By controlling the interpretation and understanding of information, categorizing its citizens, and altering history, the government limits the range of thought and hinders the ability of individuals to form independent opinions or criticize the government. Totalitarian forms of government not only have devastating effects on the individuals within them but also on societies, as these extreme practices pose a threat to individual freedom and democracy.
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