‘He’ in the above-quoted line from ‘Animal Farm’ is Mr. Jones (or humans). Mr. Jones is the owner of Manor Farms, he is a symbol and representation of the ‘Tsar’, meaning the emperor of Russia.
In chapter one of Animal Farm, Old Major (who represents Karl Marx or Vladimir Lenin) asks all animals to assemble in the barn (which will later on (in the novel) symbolize a change of governmental order).
The animals give up their sleep and assemble to listen to Old Major because he is a ‘majestic-looking pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance’ and everyone respects Old Major. We’re told that Old Major had a strange dream which all the other animals are curious to know about.
Before Old Major tells the animals about the dream he talks to them about the dystopia they call life. He evokes in all of the animals a sense of hate and anger towards humans by bringing to their attention the cruelties they normalize.
‘It is not crystal clear, then, comrades that all the evil of this life of ours springs from the tyranny of human beings?’
He goes on to identify the problem with the capitalistic system shedding light on the fact that animals and men like the bourgeoisie and proletariats don’t have a common interest.
‘The prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. It is all a lie.’
The crux of the speech that Old Major is giving the animals is ‘Rebellion!’.
Old Major goes on to ask the animals to never resemble men and that all animals are equal.
Old Major’s speech and the newly established animalism signify the communist manifesto written by Karl Marx.
Old Major goes on to recite his dream about his mother singing him a song about this utopic life where all animals are equal and freedom prevails.
‘Beast of England, Beast of Ireland,
Beast of every land and clime,
Hearken well and spread my tidings
Of the golden future time.’
This soon after becomes the anthem of animals just like the communist anthem: Internationale.
Karl Marx: German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. Famous for his work, the Communist Manifesto, which stated his belief that all countries should become capitalist, and then workers would naturally revolt, leading to communism whereby the workers would become the dominant social class and collectively control the means of production.
Vladimir Lenin: Russian Communist Revolutionary and head of the Bolshevik party. He studied Lenin’s Communist Manifesto and he was a fan.
Bourgeoisie: The capitalist class that owns most of society's wealth and means of production.
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