1984

           Theirlivesarededicatedtoworldconquest,buttheyalsoknowthatitisnecessarythatthewarshouldcontinueeverlastinglyandwithoutvictory. MeanwhilethefactthatthereISnodangerofconquestmakespossiblethedenialofrealitywhichisthespecialfeatureofIngsocanditsrivalsystemsofthought. Hereitisnecessarytorepeatwhathasbeensaidearlier,thatbybecomingcontinuouswarhasfundamentallychangeditscharacter. 

           Inpastages,awar,almostbydefinition,wassomethingthatsoonerorlatercametoanend,usuallyinunmistakablevictoryordefeat. Inthepast,also,warwasoneofthemaininstrumentsbywhichhumansocietieswerekeptintouchwithphysicalreality. Allrulersinallageshavetriedtoimposeafalseviewoftheworldupontheirfollowers,buttheycouldnotaffordtoencourageanyillusionthattendedtoimpairmilitaryefficiency. Solongasdefeatmeantthelossofindependence,orsomeotherresultgenerallyheldtobeundesirable,theprecautionsagainstdefeathadtobeserious. Physicalfactscouldnotbeignored. Inphilosophy,orreligion,orethics,orpolitics,twoandtwomightmakefive,butwhenonewasdesigningagunoranaeroplanetheyhadtomakefour. Inefficientnationswerealwaysconqueredsoonerorlater,andthestruggleforefficiencywasinimicaltoillusions. Moreover,tobeefficientitwasnecessarytobeabletolearnfromthepast,whichmeanthavingafairlyaccurateideaofwhathadhappenedinthepast. Newspapersandhistorybookswere,ofcourse,alwayscolouredandbiased,butfalsificationofthekindthatispractisedtodaywouldhavebeenimpossible. Warwasasuresafeguardofsanity,andsofarastherulingclasseswereconcerneditwasprobablythemostimportantofallsafeguards. Whilewarscouldbewonorlost,norulingclasscouldbecompletelyirresponsible.