Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984 present two fundamentally different visions of totalitarianism that reflect a deep debate between the authors—who were once teacher and student—regarding how a government might successfully trend toward tyranny.

Control through Pleasure vs. Pain

The most significant contrast lies in the mechanism used to ensure the submission of the populace. In Orwell’s Oceania, the state maintains power through brute force, fear tactics, and barbaric punishments. In contrast, Huxley’s "World State" maintains stability through state-sponsored hedonism.

This discussion looks at both models of control and asks the viewer what their thoughts of where society is at today.