Animalism is the new Hinduism

Animalism is the new Hinduism

In February 1944, Eric Arthur Blair—known to most by his pen name, George Orwell—outlined seven commandments under a new ideology, Animalism. While Animalism may seem like mere fiction, its resonance with real-world beliefs, particularly with modern Hinduism, is startling. Consider this: change Orwell’s fictional farm’s setting and era, and suddenly, his commandments echo the frameworks of present-day Hinduism. In a way, is it so far-fetched to say that Hinduism has evolved into a form of Animalism, or perhaps that Animalism mirrors certain aspects of Hinduism?

In an earlier post, we explored the distinction between Dharma and Hinduism. Dharma, rooted in principles of equality and timeless morality, dates back thousands of years. However, the Hinduism we know today branched off from this Dharma around the 11th or 12th century, shaped significantly by waves of foreign invasions and cultural shifts. What was once a harmonious philosophy gradually morphed into a system marked by the four varnas and a rigid hierarchy—a society where materialism even crept into how we envision the divine.

If we look closely at Orwell’s Animalism, we see an eerily similar pattern. Animalism, too, began on the noble grounds of equality and shared purpose, only to be corrupted over time into a power structure governed by its ‘proprietors,’ the pigs Napoleon and Squealer. Original commandments like “All animals are equal” were distorted into “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” as Orwell’s farm society shifted to serve those at the top. This transformation resonates with Hinduism’s journey—from an egalitarian Dharma to a religion marked by stratified social roles.

Consider Orwell’s original Seven Commandments:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.

Yet as the pigs consolidated power, each commandment changed to suit their interests:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.
7. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

The similarities with Hinduism’s caste system are hard to ignore. Orwell’s farm hierarchy mimics the varna structure in many ways. The pigs, like the Brahmins, control knowledge and decision-making; the dogs, loyal enforcers, mirror the Kshatriyas; the sheep, mindlessly supportive, resemble the Vaishyas; while the other animals toil as the equivalent of Shudras. And the men—the human oppressors of Animalism—could be seen as invaders, embodying a class perceived as superior, disrupting and dominating.

In light of today’s socio-religious landscape, one might wonder: has Hinduism, in some respects, evolved into Animalism? Are we unwittingly walking the path of Orwell’s farm animals, trapped in a system once based on equality but now manipulated for the benefit of a few? This question is uncomfortable yet urgent, for it calls us to reflect on whether we, too, are drifting toward a fate akin to Orwell’s chilling parable.

Note: Picture is Mixed From Animal Farm Flag.