How did the pigs make animal farm a totalitarian state?

The pigs established a totalitarian state on Animal Farm by consolidating power and gradually altering the farm's commandments to suit their needs. They used Propaganda, primarily through Squealer, to manipulate the other animals’ perceptions and maintain control. By instilling fear through the threat of violence, particularly from the dogs, and eliminating dissent, the pigs ensured that their authority remained unchallenged. Ultimately, they transformed the initial ideals of equality into a regime where they exercised absolute power, resembling the oppressive human rule they had overthrown.