The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism

The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism is a fictional book in George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (published in 1949). It is supposedly written by Emmanuel Goldstein, the principal enemy of the state of Oceania's ruling party. The Party portrays Goldstein as a former member of the Inner Party who conspired to depose Big Brother and overthrow the government. In the novel, the protagonist, Winston Smith, obtains the banned book from O'Brien, an apparent friend. It is also simply referred to as "the book".

Orwell modelled Goldstein on Leon Trotsky; Goldstein's book was a parody of Trotsky's 1937 critique of the Soviet Union entitled The Revolution Betrayed. Orwell was also influenced by the theory of bureaucratic collectivism popular in the late 1930s, particularly the writings of American philosopher James Burnham, a former Trotskyist. His 1941 book The Managerial Revolution predicts the emergence of three superstates being at war for world domination. This inspired Orwell's own description of the three fictional superstates that form the basis of the political geography of Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Goldstein's book reveals to Winston the structure, hierarchy and philosophy of Oceania and the motivations of its ruling Party. Orwell received some criticism for interrupting the narrative flow of Nineteen-Eighty Four by placing Goldstein's book at the heart of his novel, but its lengthy thesis provides the ideological and theoretical bases for Oceania's totalitarian regime.