Wojtek
On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 11:48 AM, Peter Fay <peterrfay at gmail.com> wrote:
> Would that be the George Orwell, who secretly turned in lists of leftists
> to
> British Intelligence in order to blacklist them out of jobs? Not that
> being
> a police spy and propagandist for British Intelligence weakens one's
> credentials on 'totalitarianism', of course...
>
> I think the following would be a more inspiring quote from Orwell:
>
> *"Cranham
> "6.4.49.*
>
> *"Dear Celia,*
>
> *"I haven't written earlier because I have really been rather poorly, and I
> can't use the typewriter even now, so I hope you will be able to cope with
> my handwriting.*
>
> *"I couldn't think of any more names to add to your possible list of
> writers
> except FRANZ BORKENAU (the Observer would know his address) whose name I
> think I gave you, and GLEB STRUVE (he's at Pasadena in California at
> present), the Russian translator and critic. Of course, there are hordes of
> Americans, whose names can be found in the (New York) New Leader, the
> Jewish
> monthly paper 'Commentary', and the Partisan Review. I could also, if it is
> of any value, give you a list of journalists and writers who in my opinion
> are crypto-communists, fellow-travellers or inclined that way and should
> not
> be trusted as propagandists. But for that I shall have to send for a
> notebook which I have at home, and if l do give you such a list it is
> strictly confidential..."*
>
> Etc.
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/oct/26/artsnews.booksnews
> -Peter
>
> On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 9:03 AM, Wojtek S <wsoko52 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > [WS:] I am more skeptical - following Orwell's skepticism (see below).
> A
> > mass movement can succeed only if it is backed by an institutional
> > structure
> > capable of governing a country. Without such institutional backing, it
> > will
> > be either squashed like a bug or else it will fizzle out like stale beer.
> >
> > In other words - the protesters will win only if they manage to capture
> the
> > Egyptian state but it seems likely only if the military switches sides.
> > Otherwise, the protest will end like the Polish Solidarity did.
> >
> > Wojtek
> >
> >
> > http://orwell.ru/library/reviews/gandhi/english/e_gandhi
> > "At the same time there is reason to think that Gandhi, who after all was
> > born in 1869, did not understand the nature of totalitarianism and saw
> > everything in terms of his own struggle against the British government.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Peter Fay
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>