How does the reality of control in 1984 compare to how the government controls us today?

To answer this
question, let's look at some instances of how the party controls the people of Oceania and
compare this with our own experiences of government.

First of all, the party
controls its people by rationing food and disrupting the supply of other goods. In Chapter One,
for example, we learn that razor blades and shoelaces are in constant short supply. According
to, it is "impossible" to get hold of these items without accessing the black market.
The party is able to create this situation because it owns the means of production, that is, the
factories and workshops where items are made. Because it owns the means of production, it is
able to control and dictate the supply of food and other goods. By restricting the availability
of certain items, the party keeps people in a constant state of need which, in turn, makes them
easier to control and manipulate. In our society, however, the means of...