The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism

The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism is a fictional book in George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (written in 1949). The fictional book was supposedly written by Emmanuel Goldstein, the principal enemy of the state of Oceania's ruling party (The Party). The Party portrays Goldstein as a former member of the Inner Party who continually conspired to depose Big Brother and overthrow the government.[1] In the novel, the fictional Goldstein's book is read by the protagonist, Winston Smith, after a supposed friend, O'Brien, provided one copy to him. Winston had recalled that "There were ... whispered stories of a terrible book, a compendium of all the heresies, of which Goldstein was the author, and which circulated clandestinely here and there. It was a book without a title. People referred to it, if at all, simply as The Book."

  1. ^ Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) in the omnibus George Orwell (1980) Book Club Associates, pp. 847–849.