With the passing of a year, all of the animals (save Benjamin) have wholly swallowed Napoleon’s propaganda: Despite their working like “slaves,” the animals believe that “everything they did was for the benefit of themselves” and “not for a pack of idle, thieving human beings.” When Napoleon orders that animals will need to work on Sundays, he calls the work “strictly voluntary” yet adds that any animal who does not volunteer will have his rations reduced. Thus, Napoleon is able to foster a sense of unity (where animals “volunteer”) using the threat of hunger. This transformation of obvious dictatorial practices (forced labor) into seemingly benevolent social programs (volunteering) is another of Napoleon’s methods for keeping the animals working and docile.
The effect of Napoleon’s propaganda is also seen in Boxer’s unflagging devotion to the windmill. Even when warned by Clover about exerting himself, Boxer can only think, “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right.” The fact that he can only think in slogans reflects his inability to engage in any real thought at all. Slogans such as these are powerful weapons for leaders like Napoleon, who want to keep their followers devoted, docile, and dumb.
One of the most effective ways that Napoleon strengthens his rule is his use of the politics of sacrifice. Indeed, “sacrifice” is an often-repeated word in the novel, and Napoleon uses it to excuse what he knows others will see as his blatant disregard for the Seven Commandments of Animalism. For example, when ordering that Animal Farm will engage in trade with human beings and that the hens must sell their eggs, he states that the hens “should welcome this sacrifice as their own special contribution towards the building of the windmill.” After facing some objections from the animals about trading with humans, Napoleon tells them that they will not have to come into contact with any human beings, since, “He intended to take the whole burden upon his own shoulders.” Like the apples and milk (which the pigs’ pretended not to like in the first place), Napoleon masterfully recasts himself as an animal like Boxer — when, of course, the reader sees that the pig and the horse are complete opposites in their selfishness and selflessness. Of course, if any animals ever hint at seeing through Napoleon’s false humility, they will be greeted with the same combination of bleating and growls that faced Snowball in Chapter 5.
