1. Similarities between the passages:
- Both Trotsky and Orwell discuss the idea of a "reservoir" of people that can be used for labor or military purposes.
- Both writers suggest that this "reservoir" is practically unlimited, providing a seemingly endless supply of labor or soldiers.
- Both passages also suggest that this "reservoir" is being exploited or controlled by those in power, with Orwell's passage specifically using the term "slaves" to describe the workers in the disputed territories.
2. Differences between the passages:
- Trotsky's passage is more optimistic, discussing the potential of the Soviet Union's population as a resource for building a socialist state. Orwell's passage, on the other hand, is more cynical, describing the exploitation and subjugation of the populations in the disputed territories.
- Trotsky's focus is on the physical and political sorting of the population, implying that the best and brightest will be chosen for military service. Orwell's focus is on the sheer numbers of people available for exploitation, with no regard for their individual abilities or potential.
- Trotsky's passage is more specific, providing numbers for the population, recruiting classes, and reserves. Orwell's passage is more general, discussing "scores of hundreds of millions" of people without providing specific figures.