The novella Animal Farm by George Orwell is first published.

Animal Farm is a novella written by George Orwell, first published in 1945. The book is an allegorical satire that uses a farm of talking animals to critique the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent rise of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Orwell uses the story to explore themes of power, corruption, and the dangers of totalitarianism.

The story is set on a farm where the animals, led by pigs named Napoleon and Snowball, overthrow their human owner, Mr. Jones, with the hope of creating a society where all animals are equal, free, and happy. However, as the pigs begin to assume leadership roles, they gradually become more corrupt and oppressive, mirroring the very human tyrants they sought to replace. The pigs eventually consolidate power, with Napoleon becoming the dominant leader, and the farm’s original ideals of equality are abandoned.