and reduces their food rations. Napoleon is able to maintain his power by subjecting the animals to effective propaganda, keeping the standard of living on the farm extremely low, and using fear tactics to control them.

Napoleon and the pigs initially begin to manipulate the tenets of Animalism in their favor. As a pig, Napoleon enjoys special privileges and is viewed as a leading authority figure throughout the farm. In chapter 5, Napoleon usurps power by releasing his nine ferocious dogs after Snowball and convincing the other animals that Snowball is a traitor. Napoleon then begins to spread false propaganda through his public speaker named Squealer. Squealer distorts the tenets of Animalism to coincide with Napoleon's actions and continually warns the animals about Jones's return. Napoleon's tyrannical reign continues as he begins to engage in trade with humans, uses Snowball as a scapegoat, abolishes the song "Beasts of England," and publicly executes dissidents. Napoleon ruthlessly forces various animals to falsely confess to crimes against the farm before murdering them, which creates an atmosphere of fear and hysteria throughout the farm. Napoleon also makes the animals rely on him for food and gives himself the title "Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon." Napoleon then distances himself from the other animals and begins dressing like a human. His superior status, continued propaganda, oppressive nature, and exclusivity certifies his leadership and reign over Animal Farm.

Napoleon gains power over the animals by two means. First, he twists the ideas of the animals' revolution to suggest that questioning his authority is tantamount to treason to Animal Farm, and the good of the whole. This is part of his larger strategy of manipulation of the truth. Squealer, his "propaganda minister," is especially adept at getting the animals to believe whatever is necessary to promote Napoleon's power. After Napoleon drives Snowball from the farm, for example, it is Squealer who convinces the animals that constructing the windmill was actually Napoleon's idea (even though Snowball had publicly endorsed it against Napoleon's wishes). He further suggests that Snowball, who had in fact fought bravely in the battles to establish Animal Farm, had in fact been in league with Jones, the farmer, the whole time. Snowball's ability to twist information is best exemplified by the winnowing down of the original Seven Commandments to one, which claims that while all animals are equal, some animals "are more equal than others."

The other means by which Napoleon maintains power is terror. We see this most clearly when he uses the dogs to massacre dozens of animals in the barnyard, each of which is accused of (indeed many freely confess to) treason against the farm. This bloodletting is meant to remind readers of the bloody purges of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union. Like Stalin and many other dictators, Napoleon justifies this violence by suggesting that it is all for the greater good, but also that the farm is constantly under threat from the outside. The humans, Napoleon claims, are conniving with Snowball to destroy the animals' ideal society. If the farm is always in crisis, then Napoleon can always justify extreme means to supposedly protect it.

In the middle of a meeting in chapter 5, Snowball stands in front of the animals and elaborates on his extensive plans to built a windmill, which would produce electricity on the farm and reduce the amount of physical labor needed to complete various tasks. Snowball is able to persuade the animals during his speech, and Orwell writes that the animals were about to vote for Snowball's plan when Napoleon calls for his dogs. Immediately, nine ferocious dogs run into the barn and attack Snowball. Snowball manages to escape from the barn and is chased off the farm by Napoleon's dogs. The dogs then return to the barn and faithfully stand at attention next to Napoleon, grimacing at the other animals. Napoleon then announces that Sunday-morning meetings are canceled, and a committee of pigs will decide on all matters regarding work on the farm. When several pigs attempt to protest, the nine ferocious dogs growl and intimidate them into remaining silent. Later that day, Squealer travels around the farm spreading false propaganda and convincing the animals that Napoleon's leadership is in their best interest. Essentially, Napoleon uses force and false propaganda to usurp power and rule the farm like a tyrant.

Because Napoleon is supposed to represent Stalin (which is slightly ironic considering the fact that Napoleon's invasion of Russia was another of the causes that drove Soviet thinking and policy) his method of taking power in some ways mimics that of Stalin's.  He makes a deal with anyone he needs to and even starts using animals against other animals in the case of the puppies.  In this way he mimics much of what Stalin did, making deals with enemies and then working behind their backs, all to consolidate his power over the people.  He also ruthlessly eliminates anyone opposed to him just as Stalin did through the pogroms against any people who were allied to the old powers or weren't blindly loyal to him.

I think that what is so significant about the manner in which Napoleon is able to gain and consolidate his power is that it is done through an incremental plan.  There is not the bravado of sweeping in and dominating once Jones has been dispensed.  Rather, it is done in small incremental steps which reflects a grand design to maintain and grow his power.  From the taking of the pups to be his secret army to being able to use Squealer to "spin" his own image to constantly being in the way of Snowball's plans, Napoleon recognizes that the elimination of options or perceived threats to his power is the one way in which Napoleon can both establish his power and grow it.  This is significant because it shows that Napoleon was not really driven by Animalism or the like philosophy. He simply understood the revolution as an opportunity to develop his power and to expand it.  For Orwell, this becomes significant in that it shows political theory to be reduced to power and the need to expand it.  Politics is not about ideas and idealism as much as it is an exercise in power and the ability to keep and grow it becoming essential to modern political leadership.  Napoleon embodies this.