First published in 1948, the present book 1984 is a dystopian novel by prominent twentieth century novelist, essayist and social critique Eric Arthur Blair under his popular pseudonym George Orwell.

The novel is set in Airstrip One, a province of the superstate Oceania in a world of perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, and public manipulation.

The superstate and its residents are dictated to by a political regime euphemistically named English Socialism, shortened to 'Ingsoc' in Newspeak, the government's invented language.

The superstate is under the control of the privileged elite of the Inner Party, a party and government that persecutes individualism and independent thinking as 'thought-crime', which is enforced by the 'Thought Police'.

This novel, in a way, criticizes the forced implement of the colonial thought system and life onto various colonies by the Great Britain.