Quote by George Orwell
It was possible, no doubt, to imagine a society in which wealth, in the sense of personal possessions and luxuries, should be evenly distributed, while power remained in the hands of a small privileged caste. But in practice such a society could not long remain stable. For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realise that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance.
Summary
This quote by George Orwell highlights the inherent instability of a society where wealth is evenly distributed, yet power remains concentrated in the hands of a privileged few. Orwell argues that if all individuals had equal access to leisure and security, the masses who were previously oppressed by poverty would gain education and critical thinking skills. Once equipped with knowledge, they would recognize the lack of purpose or necessity for the privileged minority to hold power, leading to their ultimate overthrow. Therefore, Orwell suggests that a hierarchical society can only be maintained when the majority remains in poverty and ignorance.
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