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Comment by TMWNN | Hacker News Reader

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I don't understand what this comment is trying to say.

The commentator mannykannot didn't really comment on the politics other than to agree that 1984 is a criticism of Stalism (which... I don't think anyone would argue with?).

Orwell also wrote "Animal Farm" which is a criticism of Fascism, and Asimov leads with this.

"Animal Farm" is a satire of the Russian Revolution.

Correct. More to the point, when it appeared many on the left attempted to wave this away by claiming that it was, as one put it, a "gentle satire" <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm#Reception> when anyone who has read Animal Farm knows that it is in no way gentle in its satire.

What nl is attempting to do above is the latest iteration of what Animal Farm and 1984 both received from those who could not stand the spotlight of their scrutiny: Claim that the target is something else, and/or that Orwell's attacks are so pedestrianly obvious (since "everyone knows" that Stalinism is bad) as to be pointless.

> What nl is attempting to do above

Um wow talk about bad faith!

Actually it's been about 35 years since I read Animal Farm, so I took what the review said as valid.

Asimov's review says it's a satire of the Russian Revolution, not of fascism.

(Just pointing out the fact, not at all agreeing with the vile accusation against you.)

Huh - yes you are right. I don't know what I was thinking, but it was very wrong.

Well, the only difference between Fascism and Stalinism was more or less that Fascism was anticommunist (communists and fascists were killing each other in Italy when Mussolini, a former socialist, was raising to the power) but Stalinism was communism only because Stalin had to wave that ideological flag to become leader of that country in those times. Both were nationalistic (Stalin de facto killed internationalism), had control of economy, had full control of society. Dictatorships.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Asimov a republican?

As in, in the modern American sense? No; I’m baffled as to what would make you think that.

No. All his life he had the politics of his Brooklyn Jewish background; that is, left-leaning.

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