Oceania and the Republic of Uzbekistan as Dystopian Societies

“War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength” (Orwell 6). The novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell demonstrates a dystopian society with negative and unrealistic messages. Such messages are a reality in the modern Republic of Uzbekistan. The social control enforced by the government of both Oceania and of Uzbekistan eliminates all privacy of their people. Individual consciousness is replaced by collective conformity, disallowing individualism to be expressed. While the mock dictatorships within both nations (fictional and genuine alike) control, alter, and conform the citizens of the respective nations into loyal followers of the government. The novel Nineteen Eighty-Four provides a prime example of a dystopian society. The two nations practice social control which instils fear within the citizens, exercise physical and emotional persecution to achieve reform, and are lead by an omnipotent leader who eliminates the fundamental freedom of expression of his citizens, attesting to the Republic of Uzbekistan as a dystopian society of the 21st century.

The distinct presence of social control within the Oceanian and Uzbek societies infuse immense fear within the civilians, providing evidence towards a dystopian culture. The majority in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four must be on constant alert and apprehensive due to the presence of telescreens. These machines are found in all places within the Party walls, and do not miss a single movement or sound. As a result, people fear expressing emotion of any sorts, diluting their human nature. Furthermore, the parents of young children must practice extraordinary caution around their children as the youth is taught a no-tolerance policy regarding thoughtcrime. “It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children.” (Orwell 27). Similarly, the people of the Uzbek Republic may find themselves under

surveillance at any time. If the government retains any suspicions (or even if it so chooses to) it may tap phone lines, install hidden cameras and plant microphones in any random civilian’s home. This is executed in secret yet often, and so the Uzbek people are at a constant threat of being scrutinized. Amid social control, dystopia is achieved as is palpable through the dehumanization of the citizens of Oceania, and the fear of the people of Uzbekistan.

Despite the laws provided by the Human Rights chapter of the United Nations, the government of Oceania and Uzbekistan practice severe torture methods in order to achieve reform. In Oceania, those who do not host the same views as the governing Party are subject to “reintegration”. This is achieved through the Learning, Understanding, and Accepting stages of torture. The Learning stage is the physical torture conducted by a Party member. The Understanding portion is the psychological torture, and the Accepting stage is the emotional torture. Despite the fictional society of the novel, this is very much a reality in modern Uzbekistan. “Uzbekistan has a long history of subjecting individuals to torture and other ill-treatment, including in the name of national security, and, since September 2001, in the name of the ‘war on terror’” (Amnesty International). There have been many reported cases of torture within the country in the last year alone. This is often initiated with emotional torture by means of threats to an individual and his/her family. This is then turned into the physical torture such as beating, electrifying, and other graphic, and equally inhumane, methods. Finally, when an individual is in their weakest state they are subjected to psychological torture. This is often done to either derive at specific responses, or (most often) to conform an individual to the collective views of the government. The physical, emotional, and psychological torture used in Oceania and Uzbekistan further emphasizes the true dystopian culture present within the nations.

Oceania and Uzbekistan are large states ruled by mock-dictators and are supported and enforced by and upper class of few in