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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
It continues to surprise me how few know that George Orwell was an outspoken Democratic Socialist. Orwell is best known for his anti-communist works of fiction, namely Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, so I can only imagine the confusion is due to a larger misunderstanding of the differences between 'socialism' and 'communism.' Either way, in his non-fiction work, The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell lays down many of his personal socio-political views.
The first half of the book is written as an ethnography of coal miners in northern industrial England. He explores the nature of how low wages and privatization have lead to a poor quality of life which includes numerous health problems, dangerous working conditions, poor nutrition, bad living conditions, and generally fewer options. He also explores the impact of mass unemployment on the working class, and how even though it was a nation-wide phenomena at the time, the unemployed were still blamed by society for their own unemployment.
The second half of the book takes this case study and further explores class differences. As Orwell conducted his research through participant-observation, actually living in these coal mining communities, he comes to have a greater understanding of how he makes sense of the world being from the middle class. He reflects on his own biases, 'snobbishness,' and how a cultural sense of superiority can be established and perpetuated (131). It is this internal self-reflection that is perhaps the strongest component of his social analysis.
Ultimately, Orwell argues that 'socialism' is the answer to improving the quality of life and dignity of the working class. Orwell also contends that 'socialism' is innately contrary to the tyranny of 'fascism' and 'communism' that were gaining popularity throughout Europe during the early 1900's. While I personally agree with these key points, I do feel that Orwell's argument is left somewhat underdeveloped in that he does not more clearly address economic policy that could facilitate his form of 'socialism.'
Orwell also speculates on why so many still reject the ideology of 'socialism' and blames the association of certain groups who tend to support it. He states that the masses typically assert that, "I don't object to Socialism, but I do object to Socialists" (173), which are people he groups as, "...every fruit-juice drinker, nudist, sandal-wearer, sex-maniac, Quaker, 'Nature Cure' quack, pacifist and feminist in Europe" (174). Essentially, people who are not straight, white males with mainstream proclivities.
On the one hand, this is an astute observation that still holds true today in 2018; there are still working class conservatives that literally call progressives "sandal-wearers." More so, there are plenty of 'regular folks' who shudder to think they could benefit from the same policies as minorities and hippies. On the other hand, Orwell argues that to romanticize the working class is to patronize them, but by allowing his own prejudices to cloud his analysis of working class bias, he condescendingly depicts them as this fragile, homogeneous group. It's a flaw.
In undergrad, an anthropology professor once told me that ethnographies often have greater enduring relevance than cultural theory, because while analysis will inevitably change, data will always remain data. I would say that this essentially holds true for The Road to Wigan Pier.
I would still recommend it, especially the strong first half; just keep context in mind for the uneven analysis in the second half.
The first half of the book is written as an ethnography of coal miners in northern industrial England. He explores the nature of how low wages and privatization have lead to a poor quality of life which includes numerous health problems, dangerous working conditions, poor nutrition, bad living conditions, and generally fewer options. He also explores the impact of mass unemployment on the working class, and how even though it was a nation-wide phenomena at the time, the unemployed were still blamed by society for their own unemployment.
The second half of the book takes this case study and further explores class differences. As Orwell conducted his research through participant-observation, actually living in these coal mining communities, he comes to have a greater understanding of how he makes sense of the world being from the middle class. He reflects on his own biases, 'snobbishness,' and how a cultural sense of superiority can be established and perpetuated (131). It is this internal self-reflection that is perhaps the strongest component of his social analysis.
Ultimately, Orwell argues that 'socialism' is the answer to improving the quality of life and dignity of the working class. Orwell also contends that 'socialism' is innately contrary to the tyranny of 'fascism' and 'communism' that were gaining popularity throughout Europe during the early 1900's. While I personally agree with these key points, I do feel that Orwell's argument is left somewhat underdeveloped in that he does not more clearly address economic policy that could facilitate his form of 'socialism.'
Orwell also speculates on why so many still reject the ideology of 'socialism' and blames the association of certain groups who tend to support it. He states that the masses typically assert that, "I don't object to Socialism, but I do object to Socialists" (173), which are people he groups as, "...every fruit-juice drinker, nudist, sandal-wearer, sex-maniac, Quaker, 'Nature Cure' quack, pacifist and feminist in Europe" (174). Essentially, people who are not straight, white males with mainstream proclivities.
On the one hand, this is an astute observation that still holds true today in 2018; there are still working class conservatives that literally call progressives "sandal-wearers." More so, there are plenty of 'regular folks' who shudder to think they could benefit from the same policies as minorities and hippies. On the other hand, Orwell argues that to romanticize the working class is to patronize them, but by allowing his own prejudices to cloud his analysis of working class bias, he condescendingly depicts them as this fragile, homogeneous group. It's a flaw.
In undergrad, an anthropology professor once told me that ethnographies often have greater enduring relevance than cultural theory, because while analysis will inevitably change, data will always remain data. I would say that this essentially holds true for The Road to Wigan Pier.
I would still recommend it, especially the strong first half; just keep context in mind for the uneven analysis in the second half.
Decent narrative, a lot about socialism that's written pretty academically.
challenging
medium-paced
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell – The non-fiction version of George Orwell is no less thought provoking and triggering! Happy Reading!
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Extraordinary. Just so you know, Orwell was 6 2.
The descriptive first section is bleak, grotesque and captivating. Reading certain recounts of Sheffield and Wigan at their most horrendous, you can almost see the landscape for Orwell's '1984' already forming. The solution to the squalor he witnesses, given in the second section, is Socialism; which is argued almost well enough to convince me (who has grown up in a household so Tory that both parents voted William Hague in the 1997 General Election), that it is the most desirable system to implement. I recognise a hell of a lot of my own prejudices in Orwell's writing, and also the battle between upbringing and learning: both constantly moving to contradict the other. My friend has always called me, tongue-in-cheek, a 'Socialist Tory'. I think the pendulum has swung, yet again, to the former . But whatever my thoughts on politics, this book is phenomenal - and I 'enjoyed' (if that's the right word) it more than Down and Out in Paris and London.
I absolutely loved the first part, in which Orwell describes the living conditions of the poor in the 1930s. I couldn't put the book down. However, the second part, in which Orwell writes about Socialism, was boring. I found it difficult to follow his train of thoughts. I also found myself a bit insulted by his attacks against vegetarians and people interested in nature. He seems to be putting people into stereotypical categories.
I would definitely recommend reading the first part, but unless you are interested in the topic, reading the second part might be difficult.
I would definitely recommend reading the first part, but unless you are interested in the topic, reading the second part might be difficult.
informative
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Such an interesting book to read at this particular moment in time. It gave me a lot to think about, as I saw so much of our current social situation reflected in these pages. It’s interesting that the things that Orwell thought turned people off to socialism, are still the things that turn people off to socialism (well, at least they turn me off). The only difference is that we have many more years worth of examples to look to wonder if socialism even capable of the Utopia that people believed and still believe it to be.
challenging
informative
slow-paced