I have long been suspicious of Orwell's politics.  While Hitler was
busily murdering millions of Jews, Orwell found socialism to be the
central enemy (see 1984, Animal Farm).  In '1984 ' we are advised that
socialism cannot be overthrown, and yet in Russia there was a counter
revolution with no blood shed.  Incidentally to overthrow fascism in Germany
required the murder of 60 million people.

Now A. Cockburn in Nation gives substantial support.  Orwell was a spook for
the British secret police.  Oh so that's it!!
wcm'
>
> Peter,
>
> > I have been curious about the introduction to Animal Farm. Does anyone
> > know where I can read it?
>
>   The introduction you asked about was published first in London, and a
> few weeks later by the New York Times Book Review.  I was able to look it
> up without much trouble here at a small college using its library's NYT
> microfilms:
>
>   "The Freedom of the Press," New York Times Book Review, Oct. 8, 1972.
>
> Dave W.
>
> "...for if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass
> of human beings ... would learn to think for themselves; and when once they
> had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged
> minority had no function, and they would sweep it away." - Emmanuel Goldstein
>