The animals have taken over Manor Farm. They have kicked farmer Jones off the land and decided to run it themselves. Everything starts out really well. They come up with the seven commandments of animalism and all work cooperatively. Then the pigs, who are in charge because they are the smartest, start changing things. The other animals are working harder for less and the pigs are working less for more. Soon their animal utopia turns into something else.

Even though this book was written over 60 years ago there is still something timeless about it. Orwell was a genius at political satire and I think he captured the essence of the communist movement very well. I might not know a whole lot about the rise of communism in the 20th century or about communist nations today, but his description of Animal Farm seemed to ring true. I really enjoyed the progression from cooperative to totalitarian state and the degrading of the seven commandments. This is not a story with a happy ending, nor one where the evil doers get their just desserts. This is a story about a political system that creates an elite at the expense of the people and about a people that allow it.

I decided to reread this one because I felt like it was relevant to today. It is all about the eroding of rights and how those in power just want more power usually at the expense of the little guy. It is kind of scary how easily the transfer of power and privileges took place. I read this as a cautionary tale for our current political situation.