animals was the child of another roger waters concept; loosely based on george orwell's political fable animal farm, its lyrics described various classes in society as different kinds of animals; the combative dogs, despotic ruthless pigs, and the "mindless and unquestioning herd" of sheep.[8] whereas the novella focuses on stalinism, the album is a critique of capitalism and differs again in that the sheep eventually rise up to overpower the dogs.[8][9] the album was developed from a collection of unrelated songs into a concept which, in the words of author glenn povey, "described the apparent social and moral decay of society, likening the human condition to that of mere animals."[10]
apart from its critique of society, the album was also in part a response to the punk rock movement,[11] which grew in popularity as a nihilistic statement against the prevailing social and political conditions, and also a reaction to the general complacency and nostalgia that appeared to surround rock music.