What is happening to the seven commandments in Animal Farm?

The Seven Commandments constitute the founding document of Animalism, to be strictly adhered to by everyone at all times. They are:

1. Whatever goes on two legs is an enemy.


2. Whatever goes on four legs, or has wings, is a friend.


3. No animal shall wear clothes. 


4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.


5. No animal shall drink alcohol. 


6. No animal shall kill any other animal.


7. All animals are equal. 

As the reign of Napoleon degenerates into...

The Seven Commandments constitute the founding document of Animalism, to be strictly adhered to by everyone at all times. They are:

1. Whatever goes on two legs is an enemy.


2. Whatever goes on four legs, or has wings, is a friend.


3. No animal shall wear clothes. 


4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.


5. No animal shall drink alcohol. 


6. No animal shall kill any other animal.


7. All animals are equal. 

As the reign of Napoleon degenerates into an outright dictatorship, all of the commandments are eventually distorted beyond recognition until they become utterly meaningless. The original commandments placed too much restriction on Napoleon's absolute power, so he changed to them to suit himself:

1. The pigs end up walking on two legs.


2. The pigs end up thinking that any animal with four legs or wings is inferior.


3. The pigs start wearing clothes.


4. The rule changes to "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets." Because there's nothing Napoleon likes better than having a nice, comfortable sleep in a human's bed.


5. "No animal shall drink alcohol....to excess." Although even this cunningly rewritten commandment is ignored by the pigs as they habitually get drunk on whiskey at wild parties.


6. "No animal shall kill any other animal...without cause." This is a particularly important amendment to the original commandment if you're going to unleash a reign of terror against the other farm animals. And who decides what the cause should be for killing an animal? Napoleon of course.


7. "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." Animalism's all very well in theory, but as the pigs progressively exploit their power over other animals, it eventually makes sense, in context, for them to have "more equality."