ANIMAL FARM: POST RUSSIAN REVOLUTION OF 1917

The story starts with Major who is the Oldest Pig in the Barn (represents Vladimir Lenin) calls for a meeting to explain to all the Barn Animals that Man (Capitalist) is making them over work and taking away all the produce including milk, eggs to get money for his luxury while the Animals who worked hard for the produce, suffer and are underfed. He instigates them to revolt and bring about a change so that the produce and the efforts that they put in are all for their consumption and their benefit (Communism). 

Major is old and almost on this death bed. His ideals are implemented by 2 vanguards Snowball (Leroy Trotsky) and Napoleon (Joseph Stalin) who try to create commandments to motivate the Animals and help them overthrow Man. Once Man is thrown out of the Barn, Napoleon and Snowball along with Boxer and Clover, hens and cows (working class who believed in the ideology of Leninism) start working towards producing crops for the animals self consumption. They also rename Manor Farm to Animal Farm (Russia renamed to USSR) with a Flag that has a symbol of Hoof and Horn (Sickle and Hammer).

With time, some elitist pigs started manipulating and convincing the working class that they need more privileges than the rest because they work very hard towards the betterment of Animal farm and hence they need more milk and need to sleep on beds like Humans. They would often quote example where the Humans were much worse and that what they are doing is no where in comparison to the atrocities inflicted by Humans. They even changed the commandments set forth during the revolt and modified them for their own benefits. Animals like Clover and Boxer who could read just a few letters could not differentiate between the old and new commandments and were gullible enough to fall for their deceit. Snowball who was still more inclined towards the original principles of Animalism was chased away by Napoleon's army of dogs and he convinced the Animals that Snowball was a traitor. Even when the windmill being built by Boxer and other animals was destroyed by an unknown force, Napoleon blamed it on Snowball and convinced animals that only hardwork can get them through this. Boxer was so overworked that he broke his back while working on the windmill and instead of sending him to a hospital to help him recover and retire respectfully, he was sent to slaughter house.

The new generation that came post the revolution, had no idea what the capitalist society was like. They were given a false picture that their life is much better since the reign of Man, while in reality their condition was much worse in the so called animalist society. Only some old animals like Benjamin the donkey (representing the old generation who were alive both pre and post Russian Revolution) knew the reality, but they seldom said anything.

The book ends with Pilkington (represents other countries who participated in trade with Russia) and pigs drinking and eating together. Animals watching from outside could not differentiate between Animals and Humans. Real power of equality is those who are in power, be it capitalist or communist.

Conclusion: Ever since the neolithic age, the world is divided into 3 kinds, High, Middle and Lows. The aim of High is to be where they are. The aim of Middle is to change place with High. The Low, after being  crushed and being able to develop a conscience outside the struggles of daily life, wants to abolish all kinds of distinctions and establish a Marxist society (all men equal). 

For long periods, High remain in power, but soon comes a time when they become incapable to govern. They are overthrown by the Middle with the help of Low. The Middle thrust the Low back into their position of servitude and themselves become High. No reforms or revolutions have brought humanity even a millimeter closer to equality.