Necessity of War

Winston has finally received "The Book", Emmanuel Goldstein's book, the doctrine of the Brotherhood, The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism. He can finally find out why the world has become the way it is. But that's not what happens. Winston's expectation of a book that explains why the world needs help and how to help it does not manifest itself. It just reiterates what he already knows: the world in which they live is corrupt and unjust. The Party has absolute control and maintains their power by oppressing the masses through the Party slogans.

The chapters of Goldstein's book, The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, are titled after the Party slogans, the first being "War is Peace". War is a necessity to the society in Oceania. War brings out a sense of Nationalism within the populace of a country. Hitler used Nationalism to come to power in Germany, and Big Brother uses this to maintain power. In a state of war, people feel a desire to have a strong leader, someone who can protect them. The wars in the world of 1984 are used for the purpose of maintaining a strong leadership. All three super-powers require this to maintain their government. War is a necessity to the maintenance of a totalitarian dictatorship. If there isn't an enemy who is making the lives of the people miserable, why are they living that way? The constant war is an enabling force of the Party.

Winston receives The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism expecting answers. He doesn't get them. The book just reproduces what he already knows: the Party is maintaining a totalitarian government by oppressing the masses with the slogans. Winston went in expecting a plan from Emmanuel Goldstein, but there is no plan to remove the Party. The Brotherhood has no strategic plan but only the promotion of acts opposing the Party's rule.