Birdyline Book Blog

Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World in the 1930s as a warning against controlling governments. As one of the first dystopian novels written, Brave New World’s themes have been repeated in other dystopian novels throughout literary history.  However, these novels fail to capture the true complexities that plague society in reality. Despite its extreme social practices and commitment to controlling its citizens through brainwashing,  Huxley’s World State in Brave New World lacks several of the key elements found in many dystopian societies. Brave New World’s dystopian government structure is superior to those in other dystopian novels because it takes into consideration actual human nature. 

Brave New World, at first glance, follows many of the typical dystopian norms. The characters in the novel are sorted into a caste system, lack true individualism, and are fed propaganda about the horrors of the world outside the current government structure. However, the World State’s approach to controlling its subjects is converse to the average dystopia. Instead of focusing on restricting its citizens’ behavior in a true-to-genre Puritanical way, the World State gives the people what they need to be happy in excess so they will not question their lives. The World State embraces scandalous activities to distract its people from anything beyond their personal pleasure. Instead of banning drugs or sexual promiscuity which may cause curious people to rebel, the government becomes the primary source for those otherwise illicit pastimes. Mostapha Mond clearly states that the government has established these policies because they  “believe in happiness and stability” (247) and “prefer to do things comfortably” (268).

People in Brave New World are even encouraged to mock other societies that practice stricter moral codes and focus on shame. Some young schoolchildren are shown a video of another society, the Penitentes, who in a sign of self-discipline  “rose to their feet, stripped off their upper garments, and, with knotted whips, began to beat themselves, blow after blow,” the schoolchildren’s response is to “[r]edouble the laughter” so that it “drowned even the amplified record of their groans” (149).  They are so conditioned to seek pleasure that they find it ludicrous that anyone would willingly punish themselves. While someone may run away from a strict situation, they are not likely to run from the place they are dependent on for their free sexuality or substance use. A typical dystopian novel would portray the government forcing its common people into submission through force or blatant propaganda, but the World State offers its people a choice and makes certain that they are the most favorable choice. 

In keeping with its goal of achieving happiness for the greatest number, the World State does not stress equality because such a lofty goal could cause struggles for power and jealousy. Instead, they acknowledge in their caste system the human tendency to want to feel proud of themselves and feed the people that pride for their entire life.

Practices such as depriving embryos of the lower castes of oxygen in order to lower intelligence are barbaric and immoral, but they do result in social stability. Combined with appropriate brainwashing these methods enable the workers to live as happily as the more advantaged Alphas. Each caste is carefully conditioned to see themselves as the best caste in order to eliminate competition. Although Beta children could be viewed as inferior to Alpha children through a typical dystopian lens, in the World State, Beta’s are reminded that “Alpha children . . . work much harder than we do, because they’re so frightfully clever. I’m really awfully glad I’m a Beta, because I don’t work so hard” (27). They are additionally assured that they “are much better than the Gammas and Deltas” (27). Even before they reach school-age, children are told to be proud of themselves for exactly who they are. This repetition will become central to their sense of self and prevent conflicts. Citizens who are secure and happy in who they are will not feel the need to act up against the government because they are already content in themself. Other dystopias may have this idea of shaping the identity of its members, but The World State is realistically effective because it satisfies people’s egos.  The World State has masterfully created  the perfect place to influence humans based on their psychology. Aldous Huxley is familiar and deeply knowledgeable about human nature and wrote out an example of how governments could control us in the future. Other dystopian books lack the grasp of human nature that Brave New World has, and this understanding is what makes it the most realistic of dystopian literature