Dictatorship

A system of government in which a ruler or ruling group holds power without effective democratic control.

A system of rule in which a leader or ruling group holds power without meaningful public accountability or freedom to oppose it.

Chapters 5 and 6 show Napoleon turning the farm’s unequal but partly democratic government into a dictatorship. At the beginning of Chapter 5, the pigs already propose policy, but their decisions still require a majority vote. By the end, the animals can only receive orders.

A system of government in which a ruler holds concentrated power and suppresses meaningful opposition.

Connect context directly to your point: explain how Napoleon’s concentration of power parallels Stalin’s dictatorship, rather than adding an unrelated historical paragraph.

Chapters 5 and 6 show how Animal Farm changes from a community with public debates into a dictatorship. Napoleon first removes his strongest rival, then removes the animals' ability to challenge decisions. The windmill connects these developments: it begins as Snowball's promise of a better future, becomes Napoleon's demand for sacrifice, and finally supplies him with an excuse to blame an enemy.

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Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0

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OCR GCSE English Literature · J352