Literal meanings

[misscherries]

whats the literal meaning of the word "tactics?" like when squealer says "tactics, comrades, tactics!" after snowball's expulsion? and why does he use the word "tactics?" plz help :bawling:

[whytry2knowme]

i think he means to use that as an explanation/excuse as to why he is chasing off Snowball. "tactics, comrades, tactics!" is kind of like "it's all part of my plan, my friends, don't worry I know what I'm doing!"....haha >_0 hope that helped clarify some things...heh

<33 Kat

[ennison]

Well it's a bit like 'Science has proved it'. Which is a common get-out clause of those whose argument is based on shifting sand. We hear it constantly - in various forms. It's like saying 'Shut up you pleb what do you know compared with clever clogs scientists!'. Squealer says something very similar when defending the pigs' aquisition of the apples.
He uses the word 'tactics' in a similar way - 'Ah too difficult for you dimwits to grasp so just leave it to us, pigs'. The word suggests the necessary complex political manoeuvering to flush out the traitors and counter-revolutionists. But it is a smoke-screen word and Orwell was always interested in how dishonest much political discourse was - especially that which spewed out of revolutionary socialism.
As a slight digression, the difference between 'tactics' and 'strategy' of course is that tactics are short term steps on the long term aim of strategy.

[Becks]

I don't think you can really give a literal meaning for it, but more an overview of what he was suggesting. I think saying "tactics" was simply a way to dismiss the animals and make them shut up, if you get what i mean. Basically a comparison to the Russian regime trying to silence people.