Throughout+the+spring+...was+strictly+voluntary,+but+any+animal+who+absented+himself+from+it+would+have+his+rations+reduced+by+half.

This phrase talks about the harsh forced economy of USSR under the rule of Stalin. The increased work hours per week and the fact that Sunday is a working day as well relates to Stalin's policy of "undisrupted week". The last sentence refers to the absenteeism. Overall, these ignorant animals were living in harsh and backbreaking conditions.


 * Min Ji : **In order to make James' explanation more valid, I posted the actual quote from one of our history books, //Stalin And the Soviet Union//. It highlights about 'uninterrupted week', which forces all workers to work for entire week. And by seeing this quote, one may surely know the resemblance from the quote above and actual historical evidence since the new law that Napoleon enforced appeared to be exactly same as the information, written on below quote.

Quote- " In 1929, the government introduced what it called an 'uninterrupted' week. Instead of working for five days and then closing at weekends, factories now worked all seven days of the week, with a fifth of workers having their day off on any one day. Because the rest day was not the same for everybody, husbands and wives often found that they had little free time together. And as there was nolonger an official Sunday, Christians found church attendance difficult. It accurately explains about exact same that plan, mentioned in the quote above. 'uninterrupted week', the plan that George Orwell.

Through this phrase I was able to see connection between Revolution in Animal Farm and Russian Revolution. During Russian Revolution, for Five Year Plan, slaves worked so hard in labour camps to survive and to gain their independence. They were not forced but "zeks"(slaves) still "worked hard" due to "system of rationing food". This system of rationing food led slaves to work hard at labour camps because they receive food for the day based on how hard and how long they worked each day. As it also said in Animal Farm, "work was strictly voluntary but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half". Both work was "strictly voluntary" but it was also "strictly" hard to refuse. This system seems like it gives decision and choice to the people but actually it has force behind the scene. It is impossible to refuse and not volunteer.
 * Insun Choi 9F**