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George Orwell

2007-04-24T22:32:11Z

Englander:

[[Image:Hgdctuy6.jpg|right|thumb|George Orwell (Eric Blair)]]
'''George Orwell''' was the pen name for '''Eric Arthur Blair''' (1903–1950), a leading English [[socialist|socialist]] writer and journalist who exposed the evils of [[totalitarianism]] in two novels published near the end of his life: [[Animal Farm]] and [[Nineteen Eighty-Four]].

The formative experience of Orwell's creative life was volunteering to fight the Spanish [[Fascist]] forces to keep them from overturning the [[democratically elected]] socialist government of Spain in the [[Spanish Civil War]] (1936-1939). He enlisted in the POUM (In English, Workers Party for Marxist Unity) Militia, and saw action on the Aragon front, where he fought side by side with [[Anarchist]]s and [[Communist]]s, as well as Republican regulars.

He became disillusioned with the Spanish government's policy of witholding arms from the POUM and the Anarchists, which he saw as an attempt by the Communists to water down the revolutionary nature of the Anti-Fascist resistance, and centralize power in the hands of the Moscow-backed Communist Party. Taking a bullet through his neck but surviving, Orwell was invalided to Barcelona, where he witnessed the Stalinist repression of Trotskyist and Anarchist parties. Orwell and his wife were forced to escape from Spain as fugitives, after the POUM was banned by the increasingly repressive regime.

Despite his persecution, Orwell continued to support the Republic upon his return to England, viewing a Communist dominated Spain as better than a Fascist Spain.{{fact-political}} He recounted his experiences in Spain in the book [[Homage to Catalonia]]. <ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Homage_to_Catalonia/index.html]</ref>

Orwell had only ten years left in his life when he returned. During that period he and his wife adopted a baby boy, but Orwell's wife died shortly thereafter.

In those ten years Orwell wrote his famous anti-communist classics described above, first spending three years on the short story [[Animal Farm]] (1944), and then perhaps five years on the longer novel [[1984]] (1949). Orwell continued championing [[Socialism]] right up to his death, writing a regular column in the left-labor Tribune paper, but strongly criticized the USSR, unusually for a [[left-wing]]er of the period. He died of [[tuberculosis]] in 1950.

==Quotes==

"It cannot be said too often - at any rate, it is not being said nearly often enough - that collectivism is not inherently democratic, but, on the contrary, gives to a tyrannical minority such powers as the Spanish Inquisitors never dreamt of."

"War against a foreign country only happens when the moneyed classes think they are going to profit from it."

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."

"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I know it."

"I have no particular love for the idealised 'worker' as he appears in the bourgeois Communist's mind, but when I see an actual flesh-and-blood worker in conflict with his natural enemy, the policeman, I do not have to ask myself which side I am on."

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

[[Category:Authors|Orwell, George]]
==References==
<references/>

George Orwell

2007-04-24T22:31:44Z

Englander:

[[Image:Hgdctuy6.jpg|right|thumb|George Orwell (Eric Blair)]]
'''George Orwell''' was the pen name for '''Eric Arthur Blair''' (1903–1950), a leading English [[socialist|socialism]] writer and journalist who exposed the evils of [[totalitarianism]] in two novels published near the end of his life: [[Animal Farm]] and [[Nineteen Eighty-Four]].

The formative experience of Orwell's creative life was volunteering to fight the Spanish [[Fascist]] forces to keep them from overturning the [[democratically elected]] socialist government of Spain in the [[Spanish Civil War]] (1936-1939). He enlisted in the POUM (In English, Workers Party for Marxist Unity) Militia, and saw action on the Aragon front, where he fought side by side with [[Anarchist]]s and [[Communist]]s, as well as Republican regulars.

He became disillusioned with the Spanish government's policy of witholding arms from the POUM and the Anarchists, which he saw as an attempt by the Communists to water down the revolutionary nature of the Anti-Fascist resistance, and centralize power in the hands of the Moscow-backed Communist Party. Taking a bullet through his neck but surviving, Orwell was invalided to Barcelona, where he witnessed the Stalinist repression of Trotskyist and Anarchist parties. Orwell and his wife were forced to escape from Spain as fugitives, after the POUM was banned by the increasingly repressive regime.

Despite his persecution, Orwell continued to support the Republic upon his return to England, viewing a Communist dominated Spain as better than a Fascist Spain.{{fact-political}} He recounted his experiences in Spain in the book [[Homage to Catalonia]]. <ref>[http://www.george-orwell.org/Homage_to_Catalonia/index.html]</ref>

Orwell had only ten years left in his life when he returned. During that period he and his wife adopted a baby boy, but Orwell's wife died shortly thereafter.

In those ten years Orwell wrote his famous anti-communist classics described above, first spending three years on the short story [[Animal Farm]] (1944), and then perhaps five years on the longer novel [[1984]] (1949). Orwell continued championing [[Socialism]] right up to his death, writing a regular column in the left-labor Tribune paper, but strongly criticized the USSR, unusually for a [[left-wing]]er of the period. He died of [[tuberculosis]] in 1950.

==Quotes==

"It cannot be said too often - at any rate, it is not being said nearly often enough - that collectivism is not inherently democratic, but, on the contrary, gives to a tyrannical minority such powers as the Spanish Inquisitors never dreamt of."

"War against a foreign country only happens when the moneyed classes think they are going to profit from it."

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."

"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I know it."

"I have no particular love for the idealised 'worker' as he appears in the bourgeois Communist's mind, but when I see an actual flesh-and-blood worker in conflict with his natural enemy, the policeman, I do not have to ask myself which side I am on."

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

[[Category:Authors|Orwell, George]]
==References==
<references/>

Republicans in Spain

2007-03-27T21:46:09Z

Englander:

The Spanish civil-war was fought between 1936 and 1939, and was caused by the rebellion of conservative army officers stationed in Morroco against the democratically elected government of Liberals, Socialists, Communists and Basque and Catalan nationalists. The attempted coup was only partially successful and half of the country was left under the control of the elected government (The Republicans) and the other half under the control of the rebellious generals (The Nationalists). In the industrial areas of northern Spain, along with Madrid and Valencia, the Spanish population mobilized and defeated the profesional soldiers of the generals, forming Worker's Militia's to defend the Republic, usually based round Anarchist, Socialist or Communist Unions. In Nationalist-controlled areas, Fascist and Carlist groups rallied to the cause of the Nationalists (led by future dictator Francisco Bahamonde Franco). The Fascist and Carlist volunteers, along with the Conservative and Catholic-led army, carried out massacres of leftists and anyone suspected of loyalty to the Republican constitution. In "Red Spain" the Republicans burned churches and tried and executed those who had been disloyal to the constitution. Many priests and landowners were suspected of actively supporting the uprising, often with good reason, adding to the anti-christian persecution.

This war attracted attention by writers and thinkers worldwide. The British writer George Orwell, who later penned classic anti-communist novels entitled ''Animal Farm'' and ''1984'' and wrote an account of his time in Spain called "Homage to Catalonia", volunteered to fight for the republican government and against Franco’s Nationalists. He volunteered for the libertarian socialist POUM millitia, unlike the majority of international vounteers who were members of the Communist-led International Brigades. The Internal divisions within the Republican camp led to violent confrontations between the Anarchists, Libertarian Socialists and the Communist and Socialist coalition that was attempting to undermine the revolutionary left wing nature of the Republic. In spite of these differences behind the lines, the factions never broke the common front agaainst Franco, Anarchist Millitias continued fighting the Nationalists even after their leaders had been arrested. Britain, France and the United States remained officially neutral while Germany and Italy sent troops, and crucially planes, to help Franco. Mexico and the Soviet Union provided the Republicans with arms, but no soldiers. The war in Spain divided public opinion all over the world, the left and centre suporting the Republic and the right supporting Franco. The exception to this general rule was amongst Catholic leftists, who supported Franco despite his right-wing politics, as the Church urged priests to condemn the republic from the pulpit.

The Civil-war ended in 1939, the Republican defence broken by infighting, and suffering from a lack of arms due to half-hearted Russian support, with the profesional soldiers, especially Arab troops, of Franco playing a decisive role in the defeat of the republic. However, the struggle is remembered as the time when democrats from all over the world joined together to fight against the un-democratic Nationalists, losing the battle but preparing the world for the Second World War.

Republicans in Spain

2007-03-27T21:27:41Z

Englander:

The Spanish civil-war was fought between 1936 and 1939, and was caused by the rebellion of conservative army officers stationed in Morroco against the democratically elected government of Liberals, Socialists, Communists and Basque and Catalan nationalists. The attempted coup was only partially successful and half of the country was left under the control of the elected government (The Republicans) and the other half under the control of the rebellious generals (The Nationalists). In the industrial areas of northern Spain, along with Madrid and Valencia, the Spanish population mobilized and defeated the proffesional soldiers of the generals, forming Worker's Militia's to defend the Republic, usually based round Anarchist, Socialist or Communist Unions. In Nationalist-controlled areas, Fascist and Carlist groups rallied to the cause of the Nationalists (led by future dictator Francisco Bahamonde Franco). The Fascist and Carlist volunteers, along with the Conservative and Catholic-led army, carried out massacres of leftists and anyone suspected of loyalty to the Republican constitution. In "Red Spain" the Republicans burned churches and tried and executed those who had been disloyal to the constitution. Many priests and landowners were suspected of actively supporting the uprising, often with good reason, adding to the anti-christian persecution.

This war attracted attention by writers and thinkers worldwide. The British writer George Orwell, who later penned classic anti-communist novels entitled ''Animal Farm'' and ''1984'' and wrote an account of his time in Spain called "Homage to Catalonia", volunteered to fight for the republican government and against Franco’s Nationalists. He volunteered for the libertarian socialist POUM millitia, unlike the majority of international vounteers who were members of the Communist-led International Brigades. The Internal divisions within the Republican camp led to violent confrontations between the Anarchists, Libertarian Socialists and the Communist and Socialist coalition that was attempting to undermine the revolutionary left wing nature of the Republic. In spite of these differences behind the lines, the factions never broke the common front agaainst Franco, Anarchist Millitias continued fighting the Nationalists even after their leaders had been arrested. Britain, France and the United States remained officially neutral while Germany and Italy sent troops, and crucially planes, to help Franco. Mexico and the Soviet Union provided the Republicans with arms, but no soldiers. The war in Spain divided public opinion all over the world, the left and centre suporting the Republic and the right supporting Franco. The exception to this general rule was amongst Catholic leftists, who supported Franco despite his right-wing politics, as the Church urged priests to condemn the republic from the pulpit.

The Civil-war ended in 1939, the Republican defence broken by infighting, and suffering from a lack of arms due to half-hearted Russian support, with the profesional soldiers, especially Arab troops, of Franco playing a decisive role in the defeat of the republic. However, the struggle is remembered as the time when democrats from all over the world joined together to fight against the un-democratic Nationalists, losing the battle but preparing the world for the Second World War.

Republicans in Spain

2007-03-27T21:25:38Z

Englander: more info

The Spanish civil-war was fought between 1936 and 1939, and was caused by the rebellion of conservative army officers stationed in Morroco against the democratically elected government of Liberals, Socialists, Communists and Basque and Catalan nationalists. The attempted coup was only partially successful and half of the country was left under the control of the elected government (The Republicans) and the other half under the control of the rebellious generals (The Nationalists). In the industrial areas of northern Spain, along with Madrid and Valencia, the Spanish population mobilized and defeated the proffesional soldiers of the generals, forming Worker's Militia's to defend the Republic, usually based round Anarchist, Socialist or Communist Unions. In Nationalist-controlled areas, Fascist and Carlist groups rallied to the cause of the Nationalists (led by future dictator Francisco Bahamonde Franco). In Nationalist Spain the rebel Nationalists were joined by Fascist and Carlist volunteers who, along with the Conservative and Catholic-led army, carried out massacres of leftists and anyone suspected of loyalty to the Republican constitution. In "Red Spain" the Republicans burned churches and tried and executed those who had been disloyal to the constitution. Many priests and landowners were suspected of actively supporting the uprising, often with good reason, adding to the anti-christian persecution.

This war attracted attention by writers and thinkers worldwide. The British writer George Orwell, who later penned classic anti-communist novels entitled ''Animal Farm'' and ''1984'' and wrote an account of his time in Spain called "Homage to Catalonia", volunteered to fight for the republican government and against Franco’s Nationalists. He volunteered for the libertarian socialist POUM millitia, unlike the majority of international vounteers who were members of the Communist-led International Brigades. The Internal divisions within the Republican camp led to violent confrontations between the Anarchists, Libertarian Socialists and the Communist and Socialist coalition that was attempting to undermine the revolutionary left wing nature of the Republic. In spite of these differences behind the lines, the factions never broke the common front agaainst Franco, Anarchist Millitias continued fighting the Nationalists even after their leaders had been arrested. Britain, France and the United States remained officially neutral while Germany and Italy sent troops, and crucially planes, to help Franco. Mexico and the Soviet Union provided the Republicans with arms, but no soldiers. The war in Spain divided public opinion all over the world, the left and centre suporting the Republic and the right supporting Franco. The exception to this general rule was amongst Catholic leftists, who supported Franco despite his right-wing politics, as the Church urged priests to condemn the republic from the pulpit.

The Civil-war ended in 1939, the Republican defence broken by infighting, and suffering from a lack of arms due to half-hearted Russian support, with the profesional soldiers, especially Arab troops, of Franco playing a decisive role in the defeat of the republic. However, the struggle is remembered as the time when democrats from all over the world joined together to fight against the un-democratic Nationalists, losing the battle but preparing the world for the Second World War.

Israel

2007-03-27T10:07:32Z

Englander:

Israel is a nation located in the [[Middle East]]. It is the world's only Jewish state, allowing citizenship to anybody its government considers to be Jewish. It also contains Arab muslim and Arab christian minorities who are remnants of the pre-1948 Arab majority, along with a small [[Druze]] community.

==History==

Though the state of Israel was founded in 1948, many interpret it as a continuation of the biblical Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

The origins of these kingdoms date back to the migration of the [[Hebrews]] from [[Egypt]] out of [[Egypt]], at the end of the second millenium BC. It is the location of [[Jesus]]' birth and many other major [[Bible|Bibli]]cal events.

It was conquered by the Romans in 200 B.C, starting the period of the Jewish diaspora. By the fifth century the region was Christianized, under the Byzantine empire, a situation which continued until the Arab invasions of the 7th and 8th centuries. The Arabs brought with them the Islamic faith which, due to its many similarities with Christianity and Judaism and the social advantages it brought, was gradually adopted by the population. However, Jewish and Christian citizens continued to live in the region, in relative peace, until the crusades.

The [[crusades]] led to the destruction of of these Jewish communities (including that of Jerusalem, where Arab Christians, Muslims and Jews were murdered indiscriminately by the Christian Crusaders) and the temporary expulsion of muslims who refused baptism from much of what is now Israel. The fall of the last crusader kingdom in 1290 gave way to Mameluk then Ottoman domination of the territory, which lasted until the territory came under British mandate of Palestine in 1920.

The British and late Ottoman authorities permitted the resettlement of Jews from Europe, many of them looking to establish a Jewish state in the region, part of a movement called Zionism. In the last years of British mandate the number and strength of the Jews in Palestine increased, with many adopting extremely radical tactics to achieve there goal of an independent Jewish state. Terrorist organisations such as Irgun and Lehi attacked British and Arab targets, killing civilians of all faiths in the process. Britains's occupation became too expensive and they handed control to the united nations.

The UN came up with a partition plan, which was generally accepted by Jews in Palestine, but rejected by the Arab majority. Israel declared itself independent on 14 May 1948, which was followed by the invasion of Palestine by Arab nations, leading to the war of 1948. Israel won that war and has been independent ever since. Many Muslim inhabitants fled the new state, or were driven out by Israelis, which, along with immigration from the Jewish diaspora, led to the creation of a Jewish state in fact as well as name.

Israel is the location of intense territorial disputes between [[Israeli]]s and [[Palestinian Arabs]] (see [[Arab-Israeli conflict]]).

[[Category:Countries]]
[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Bible]]

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/v3_ip_timeline/html/default.stm History of Conflict]

George Orwell

2007-03-23T23:19:56Z

Englander: /* Quotes */

George Orwell was the pen name for Eric Arthur Blair (1903–1950), a leading English writer and journalist who exposed the evils of totalitarianism in two novels published near the end of his life: [[Animal Farm]] and [[Nineteen Eighty-Four]].

A lifelong revolutionary socialist, George Orwell learned about Stalinism when he volunteered to fight the Spanish Fascist forces to keep them from overturning the democratically elected socialist government of Spain in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). He enlisted in the POUM (In English, Workers Party for Marxist Unity) Militia, and saw action on the Aragon front, where he fought side by side with Anarchists and Communists, as well as Republican regulars. He became disillusioned with the Spanish government's policy of witholding arms from the POUM and the Anarchists, which he saw as an attempt by the Communists to water down the revolutionary nature of the Anti-Fascist resistance, and centralize power in the hands of the Moscow-backed Communist Party. Taking a bullet through his neck but surviving, Orwell was invalided to Barcelona, where he witnessed the Stalinist repression of Trotskyist and Anarchist parties. Orwell and his wife were forced to escape from Spain as fugitives, after the POUM was banned by the increasingly repressive regime. Despite his persecution, Orwell continued to support the Republic upon his return to England, viewing a Communist dominated Spain as better than a Fascist Spain.

Orwell had only ten years left in his life when he returned. During that period he and his wife adopted a baby boy, but Orwell's wife died shortly thereafter. In those ten years Orwell wrote his famous anti-communist classics described above, first spending three years on the short story [[Animal Farm]] (1944), and then perhaps five years on the longer novel [[1984]] (1949). Orwell continued championing Socialism right up to his death, writing a regular column in the left-labor Tribune paper, but strongly criticized the USSR, unusually for a left-winger of the period. He died of tuberculosis in 1950 and requested a full Anglican funeral, reflecting his return to the Christian faith.
[[Category:Biographies]]

==Quotes==

"It cannot be said too often - at any rate, it is not being said nearly often enough - that collectivism is not inherently democratic, but, on the contrary, gives to a tyrannical minority such powers as the Spanish Inquisitors never dreamt of."

"War against a foreign country only happens when the moneyed classes think they are going to profit from it."

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."

"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I know it."

"I have no particular love for the idealised 'worker' as he appears in the bourgeois Communist's mind, but when I see an actual flesh-and-blood worker in conflict with his natural enemy, the policeman, I do not have to ask myself which side I am on."

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

George Orwell

2007-03-23T23:12:14Z

Englander: /* Quotes */