How does big brother control history and why 1984?

Answer 1

all history was a palimpsest, scraped clean and re-inscribed exactly as often as was necessary. They did this because they wanted to put fear into the people show that there always right to be able ti have everything under control

Answer 2

The party manipulate history to control history in the novel. There is a department where the history is constantly changed and altered to the party's liking. Just as the quote goes "He who control the present controls the past. He who control the past control the future".
History is constantly manipulated so that people would not have true memories and hence, they won't have a true identity.

Answer 3

The proles are controlled through ignorance ("Ignorance Is Strength"). In other words, a constant supply of meaningless entertainment keeps their minds occupied, and this prevents them from becoming politically minded and revolting against the Party.

Answer 4

The Ministry of Truth continuously rewrites history to suit its needs.

Since the past only exists in written records and human memories, by controlling both of these the Party effectively controls the past.

Answer 5

The 'Inner Party' manipulates history/information as a form of control over the population/proletariat/society :

" Who controls the past controls the future . . .

. . . who controls the present controls the past." ~ George Orwell

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(Improved Answer)

Reasons the Inner Party alter the past...

The main two reasons, as described in Goldstein's Book, are to remove any standard of comparison and to safeguard the infallibility of the Party. In order to wipe out all contradictions and oppositions to the Party's belief and to establish a history that best suit its purpose, the past must be altered. By changing all the past record, the Party can cut off its people from information that might lead them to oppose, or have the desire to oppose the Party. By altering memory, the Party can make its citizens believe that they are better off than their ancestor when they are not. The Party can make its citizens "forget that they've ever believed in the contrary." Ultimately, the Party aim to obtain total control over the past and thereby, maintain its total control over the present and future. "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past" (Orwell, 1984)