Napoleon's dictatorship

After the expulsion of Mr. Jones, the animals believed they had achieved a society of equals. They destroyed the symbols of human tyranny, flung the whips and bits into the fire, and celebrated their freedom. However, the pigs assumed the role of leaders from the start: the Sunday Meetings were dominated by resolutions put forward only by the pigs, and though decisions required a majority vote, the pigs' superior intelligence gave them de facto control. The bitter rivalry between Snowball and Napoleon over every aspect of farm policy foreshadowed the struggle for absolute power.

The decisive break came when Napoleon, backed by nine ferocious dogs he had raised in secret, expelled Snowball from the farm. Immediately afterward, he abolished the Sunday Meetings, declaring them a waste of time, and announced that a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself, would decide all farm policy. The animals were dismayed but were silenced by the dogs' growls and the sheep's bleating of "Four legs good, two legs bad." Squealer justified the change by arguing that leadership was a heavy responsibility and that the animals might make wrong decisions, implying that only Napoleon could be trusted.

With no opposition left, Napoleon's cult of personality flourished. He was never referred to simply as "Napoleon" but as "our Leader, Comrade Napoleon," and the pigs invented grandiose titles such as Father of All Animals and Terror of Mankind. Squealer's speeches praised Napoleon's wisdom and love for all animals, and every success was attributed to his leadership. A poem, "Comrade Napoleon," was composed and inscribed on the barn wall, alongside a portrait of Napoleon. In April, Animal Farm was proclaimed a Republic, and Napoleon was elected President unanimously. At the same time, the history of the Rebellion was rewritten: Snowball was now said to have been a traitor in league with Jones from the start, and his wounds were attributed to Napoleon's teeth.

Napoleon's rule was maintained through terror. He rarely appeared in public without a guard of dogs, and informers were everywhere. When four pigs who had protested the abolition of the Meetings were dragged before Napoleon, the dogs tore out their throats after forced confessions. Other animals were executed for minor offenses, and the air was heavy with the smell of blood. The animals were terrified; Boxer, the loyal horse, could only respond by resolving to work harder. The constant fear of Snowball's supposed nocturnal visits served to justify the regime's repressive measures.

The pigs moved into the farmhouse, slept in beds, and later altered the Commandments to permit their privileges. The Fourth Commandment was changed to "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets," and the Fifth to "No animal shall drink alcohol to excess." Over time, the Commandments were reduced to a single maxim: "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others." The pigs began to wear human clothes, carry whips, and enjoy luxuries such as wireless sets and telephones. Napoleon himself was seen strolling in the garden with a pipe in his mouth, and his favorite sow wore Mrs. Jones's silk dress.

The final stage of Napoleon's dictatorship saw the complete abandonment of revolutionary principles. The farm was renamed "The Manor Farm," the green flag was changed to a plain green banner without the hoof and horn, and the custom of addressing one another as "Comrade" was suppressed. Neighboring farmers were invited to inspect the farm and praised its discipline and low rations for the animals. During a card game with Mr. Pilkington, the pigs and humans drank together, and the animals outside could no longer distinguish pig from man. The dictatorship had come full circle: the oppressors were now indistinguishable from the original human oppressors.