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Holler, Manfred J. --- "George Orwell and his cold wars: truth and politics" [2005] ELECD 106; in Marciano, Alain; Josselin, Jean-Michel (eds), "Law and the State" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2005)

Book Title: Law and the State

Editor(s): Marciano, Alain; Josselin, Jean-Michel

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781843768005

Section: Chapter 5

Section Title: George Orwell and his cold wars: truth and politics

Author(s): Holler, Manfred J.

Number of pages: 21

Extract:

5. George Orwell and his cold wars:
truth and politics
Manfred J. Holler*

1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter is about truth-telling, personal opinions, secrets, and the
matter of personal integrity and its protection. What follows is not research
about George Orwell as a writer and social activist or a philosophical work
on truth. Rather, Orwell is taken as an important paradigmatic case in iden-
tifying the problems of telling the truth as a writer and cultural figure con-
cerned with politics. Moreover, because Orwell was not only a paradigmatic
case but also a public figure, the evaluation of his behaviour has an impact
on our social behaviour and our contemporary opinion about what is taken
to be good and bad in politics and everyday life. The evaluation of public
figures expresses social values and gives orientation to society and for this
reason many legal systems contain, on the one hand, rules designed to
protect the reputation of such personalities, but on the other permit the
public dissemination of information about them and their private life.
In the case of Orwell, the public evaluation of his character is of special
importance because truth was one of his major concerns throughout his
writing. For many, he was an icon of truth and personal integrity. Yet, more
than half a century after his death, there is an ongoing and often rather
controversial discussion about Orwell's work and character. Was he a
sincere, but perhaps ruthless, Cold War Warrior or was he corrupted ...