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In Chapter 9 of Animal Farm, what are the living conditions like for all the animals except the pigs and dogs?

Conditions are not good for any animals other than the pigs.

The pigs are not as good at managing the farm as they claim to be. Food is short. The pigs have reneged on the promises of Animalism one by one. Older animals are not able to retire. Pigs and dogs get special privileges while other animals have food rationed.



Meanwhile life was hard. The winter was as cold as the last one had been, and food was even shorter. Once again all rations were reduced, except those of the pigs and the dogs. A too rigid equality in rations, Squealer explained, would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism (Chapter 9). 



The pigs once again use Animalism to excuse their actions.  They have always explained that they are the brain trust, and since they are superior they deserve special privileges.  This is why they are the ones living in the house, eating milk and apples, sleeping in beds, and drinking alcohol.    


The pigs tell the animals they have better living conditions than they did with Jones, but the animals do not really remember if that is true. All they know is that life is “harsh and bare” and that they seem to be always hungry and always working. The truth is that the pigs are abusive and neglectful. They treat the animals than the humans treated the animals. 


Even though the farm is low on money, there is definitely a hierarchy of where the farm’s resources are going. Napoleon gets what he wants first. The other pigs then get their privileges, followed by the dogs, who the pigs favor because they guard the pigs. The other animals get what little is left. 



There were the bricks, sand, and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased, and it would also be necessary to begin saving up again for the machinery for the windmill. Then there were lamp oil and candles for the house, sugar for Napoleon's own table (he forbade this to the other pigs, on the ground that it made them fat), and all the usual replacements such as tools, nails, string, coal, wire, scrap−iron, and dog biscuits (Chapter 9). 



The other animals starve so the pigs can have luxuries. This is a sign of a tyrannical regime for sure. The pigs do not care about the animals they are supposedly looking out for.


The worst part is that the animals also live in fear. Besides the propaganda of telling them that Jones will come back, the pigs also threaten the other animals with the dogs if they do not follow the pigs' rules. Soon, all of the commandments are replaced with one: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. The pigs are on top, and everyone else is beneath them.

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