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Kimberly Marquez
Mrs. Housepian
English 2H; Period 5
20 May 2016
A Leaders Downfall
Power that is given to the wrong hands can consequently end up bringing harm to the
innocent men, women,and children of a nation. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Napoleon are just
some examples of individuals who have misled their nations with false dreams through corrupt
and selfish agendas. Through ineffective use of power, a leader abuses their authority by doing
anything and everything to secure their self gain, and in doing so, many civilians are deceived,
harmed, and overworked.
Through the use of propaganda posters and influential speeches, citizens are swindled
into committing non profitable actions. In the Bolshevik propaganda Joseph Stalin-the leader of
the Soviet Union-utilized during the 1930s, woman were shown farming alongside men, and the
farmers were shown as having a good harvest(Voron). The Bolshevik poster showed equality
between genders and the gathering of a good harvest. Behind the drawings and displays of good
fortune, some citizens were forced into collective farming and suffered famine and loss of money
and land because of it. Despite the outcomes implemented on the citizens, Stalin continued to
apply collective farming due to the fact it benefited his appearance as a leader. In another source,
Animal Farm by George Orwell, Napoleon, a malicious pig, orders Squealer, an obedient
follower, to tell the other animals that injured Boxer, a hard-working mare, will be okay,
Squealer easily convinced them that the veterinary surgeon in Willingdon could treat Boxers
case..(Orwell 122). Due to the good news the animals are told, they full heartedly trust

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Squealers words and leave Boxers health in his mischievous hoofs. Despite Squealers act, the
truth behind his intentions are discovered by Benjamin, an old donkey, Fools! Do you not see
what is written on the side of the van? That gave the animals pause, and there was a
hush....Horse Slaughter and Glue Boiler, Willingdon(Orwell 123). As the animals have high
hopes for Boxers health, they soon discover Boxer is not being taken care of and is instead
being sent to his death. By deceiving the animals, and using their lack of intelligence against
them, Squealer is able to exchange Boxer for money which leader Napoleon selfishly uses for a
new box of alcohol. By taking deluded actions, leaders profit, despite the consequences it has
over their citizens.
Additionally, by using force on their citizens, leaders ensure their rightful rule and
intentionally injure anyone who opposes. As Stalin is spoken of in a Secret Speech delivered by
Nikita Khrushchev during 1956, he is described as a brutal leader, Stalin..used extreme
methods..Stalin showed..his intolerance..brutality, and his abuse of power. Instead of proving his
political correctness and mobilizing the masses, he..chose..repression and physical annihilation,
not only against actual enemies, but also against individuals who had not committed any
crimes..(Khrushchev). In the speech, Stalin is said to have used force against his enemies, and
even those who were not his enemies. In an act to secure his rule, Stalin abused his power by
disposing innocent individuals. Just as Stalin annihilates his enemies, Napoleon also takes
aggressive actions towards what he deems a threat. After the animals voluntarily confessed
something they were influenced into believing,(plotting with Snowball, an intelligent pig who
was chased out by Napoleon's dogs)Napoleon tells his dogs to kill the innocent confessors,
When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out, and in a
terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess..executions

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went on..there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon's feet(Orwell 38). After the animals
confessed their delusions, Napoleon ordered the dogs to kill every last one of the conspirators.
Although Napoleon knew Snowball was dead, he used the delusions they created as an excuse to
take their lives in order to assure his rule and strengthen his influence over the animals. To a
leader, no matter the cost, all that is important is the influence and power they have over their
citizens because ensuring so, secures their position over the people.
Moreover, leaders overwork their citizens to aid their prosperity. Boxer, the hardworking
mare, injures himself while following Napoleons order to continue constructing the windmill,
After his hoof had healed up, Boxer worked harder..He had gone..to drag a load of stone down
to the windmill.. Boxer has fallen! He is lying on his side and cant get up!(Orwell 120-121).
As Boxer is dragging boulders to the top of a hill he injures himself and does not have the
strength to stand. From Napoleons orders, Boxer is overworked and is not appreciated for it as
he is sold off by Napoleon. When leaders feel as if they do not prosper from a certain individual,
they disregard them and in return, bargen for something that insures their success.
Overall, Joseph Stalin and Napoleon abused their power and used it ineffectively towards
their citizens. Due to the corrupt way they used their power, many of their people suffered
craftful deceptions, harmful injuries, and a heavy burden.

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Works Cited
Khrushchev, Nikita. Secret Speech. Twentieth Party Congress of the Communist Party of the
Soviet Union. n.d. Speech.

Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1945. Print.

Voron, Maria. Shock-brigade Reaping for a Bolshevik Harvest (1934). Persuasive Images:
Posters of War and Revolution from the Hoover Institution Archives. Princeton NJ:
Princeton University Press. 1992. Print.