Exploitation and Oppression: Parallels Between The Handmaid's Tale, Animal Domestication, and the Path to Liberation
Essay
Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a chilling depiction of a dystopian society that thrives on the exploitation and dehumanization of women. Set in the theocratic state of Gilead, the novel explores how systemic oppression can become normalized under ideological frameworks that prioritize control over compassion. A striking parallel can be drawn between the treatment of women in Gilead and the domestication of animals, as both rely on hierarchies that justify exploitation and violence. Scholars like David A. Nibert, in his groundbreaking work Animal Oppression and Human Violence, illuminate the historical interplay between animal domestication, human violence, and systemic oppression. These connections reveal that the vegan ideology—based on compassion, equity, and the rejection of exploitation—offers not only a path to ending animal suffering but also a critical framework to curb the societal slide into authoritarianism and dystopian nightmares like those portrayed in Gilead.
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Domestication as a Template for Oppression
David A. Nibert’s Animal Oppression and Human Violence argues that the domestication of animals initiated a cycle of systemic violence and exploitation that deeply influenced human societies. Domestication, far from being a benign relationship, subjected animals to confinement, forced breeding, and the suppression of natural behaviors. Over time, this process normalized the idea that some lives exist solely for the benefit of others, fostering a worldview that justified hierarchies and oppression. Nibert demonstrates how these attitudes extended beyond animals to human systems, shaping class structures, gender inequality, and racial oppression.
The domestication of animals not only normalized violence but also institutionalized it, creating a template for control and commodification that mirrors the subjugation of women in Gilead. In both cases, the oppressed are stripped of autonomy and reduced to their utility. In animal agriculture, female animals are subjected to forced impregnation and endless cycles of exploitation for milk, eggs, or offspring. Similarly, in The Handmaid’s Tale, women are reduced to reproductive vessels, valued only for their ability to bear children. Both systems perpetuate the ideology that domination and exploitation are acceptable, even necessary.
Violence as a Mechanism of Control
A key theme in both animal domestication and The Handmaid’s Tale is the normalization of violence as a means of control. In Gilead, women’s bodies are controlled through ritualized rape, mutilation, and public executions, all cloaked in religious justifications. This mirrors the violence inherent in animal agriculture, where animals endure confinement, mutilation, and slaughter on a staggering scale. Nibert emphasizes that such violence, once institutionalized, becomes invisible, concealed by cultural narratives that justify exploitation.
This cycle of normalized violence lays the groundwork for authoritarian systems like Gilead. When societies accept the commodification of living beings, whether human or nonhuman, they reinforce hierarchies that devalue autonomy and foster inequality. Veganism, by rejecting this commodification, offers an alternative vision rooted in equity and respect for all life. By challenging the cultural acceptance of violence, vegan ideology undermines the systems that normalize domination, paving the way for more compassionate and democratic societies.
Hierarchies of Power and Exploitation
Both Gilead and the domestication of animals are sustained by rigid hierarchies. In Gilead, the Commanders and their Wives occupy the apex of power, exploiting Handmaids, Marthas, and other marginalized women. Similarly, human societies have long placed themselves at the top of a hierarchy that subjugates animals for labor, food, and resources. These hierarchies foster division and dehumanization, making it easier to justify oppression.
Vegan ideology challenges these hierarchies by recognizing the intrinsic value of all living beings. It rejects the idea that power or utility justifies exploitation, offering a framework for dismantling systems of domination. By embracing the principles of veganism, societies can begin to erode the hierarchies that sustain both human and animal oppression, creating a foundation for greater equity and justice.
The Role of Resistance
Resistance is central to both The Handmaid’s Tale and the movement for animal liberation. In Gilead, acts of defiance—such as Moira’s escape attempts or the Mayday underground movement—represent hope and a refusal to accept subjugation. Similarly, the animal rights movement resists the normalization of violence against animals, advocating for their recognition as sentient beings with inherent worth.
Veganism plays a crucial role in this resistance by challenging the ideologies that perpetuate exploitation. It demands a reevaluation of societal norms, urging people to confront the hidden violence in their daily lives. This reevaluation is not limited to animal rights; it extends to all forms of oppression, making veganism a powerful tool for resisting authoritarianism. By fostering compassion and rejecting exploitation, vegan ideology undermines the cultural narratives that enable systems like Gilead to thrive.
Preventing the Slide into Authoritarianism
The parallels between The Handmaid’s Tale and the domestication of animals reveal the dangers of normalized exploitation. Systems that justify the oppression of animals often expand to justify the oppression of humans, as hierarchical thinking becomes ingrained in societal structures. Veganism offers a way to disrupt this cycle by promoting values that prioritize empathy, autonomy, and justice.
Authoritarian regimes like Gilead depend on the dehumanization of certain groups to maintain power. By challenging the root ideologies that enable this dehumanization, veganism helps build resilience against authoritarianism. It encourages societies to question the ethics of exploitation, fostering a culture of accountability and compassion that is incompatible with oppressive systems.
Moreover, adopting a vegan framework can have practical benefits for democratic societies. By reducing the environmental devastation caused by industrial animal agriculture, veganism addresses resource scarcity—an issue often exploited by authoritarian regimes to justify oppressive policies. By promoting sustainability and equity, veganism contributes to the stability and fairness of societies, making them less vulnerable to the appeal of authoritarian solutions.
Toward a Compassionate Future
In conclusion, the themes of The Handmaid’s Tale and the domestication of animals converge in their depiction of systemic violence and exploitation. David A. Nibert’s scholarship illuminates the interconnectedness of these systems, showing how they perpetuate hierarchies and normalize suffering. Veganism offers a powerful counter-narrative, rejecting the ideologies that sustain oppression and providing a vision for a more compassionate and equitable world.
By embracing vegan principles, societies can begin to dismantle the structures that enable authoritarianism and create a foundation for true democracy. Just as Atwood’s novel serves as a warning against the dangers of unchecked power, veganism reminds us that compassion and equity are essential for resisting oppression. In rejecting the exploitation of animals, we take a critical step toward preventing the dystopian nightmares that loom when domination goes unchallenged.
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General Resources
Books:
Dominion: The Power of Animals in Nature and in Our Imagination by Matthew Scully
Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
A Billion Hungry Mouths: Feeding the World Without Consuming the Planet by Colin Tudge
Websites and organizations:
Documentaries:
Articles:
"The Case for Animal Rights" by Tom Regan
‘‘Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism’’ by Melanie Joy
‘‘Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach’’ by Gary L. Francione
‘‘Fellow Creatures: Our Obligations to the Other Animals’’ by Christine Korsgaard
Seeds of Compassion: Finding Jesus Christ in a Vegan World by Michael Corthell
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