the greater the understanding, the greater the delusion;
the more intelligent, the less sane. One clear illustration of this is the
fact that war hysteria increases in intensity as one rises in the social
scale. Those whose attitude towards the war is most nearly rational are the
subject peoples of the disputed territories. To these people the war is
simply a continuous calamity which sweeps to and fro over their bodies like
a tidal wave. Which side is winning is a matter of complete indifference to
them. They are aware that a change of overlordship means simply that they
will be doing the same work as before for new masters who treat them in the
same manner as the old ones. The slightly more favoured workers whom we
call 'the proles' are only intermittently conscious of the war. When it is
necessary they can be prodded into frenzies of fear and hatred, but when
left to themselves they are capable of forgetting for long periods that the
war is happening. It is in the ranks of the Party, and above all of the
Inner Party, that the true war enthusiasm is found. World-conquest is
believed in most firmly by those who know it to be i