Animal Farm was read to my class when I was in the 5th grade, by our teacher. And at 5th grade, of course, I understood it only as a story of treacherous pigs trying to run a farm for themselves, with vague political undertones that largely sailed clear over my head. Now, being a college graduate at the age of nearly 24, being much more versed in history and political ideologies, I have a far greater appreciation of this book. 
 While it is specifically about communism, where Napoleon stands in for Stalin and Snowball represents Trotsky, it is also a study in groupthink and conformity. The ruling class changes the society at their will and whenever objection is raised, the reply invariably is, "Surely you don't want Jones to come back, do you Comrades?" And of course they don't, so they go along with it. 
 One lesson in the book is clear: the farm animals are suppressed namely by virtue of their lack of education, because they cannot read the rules, write their own records, or read the "proof" of various outrageous claims made by the pigs. Education is key. 
 A very good read and one that should not be forgotten.