Clear writing creates better government: lessons from George Orwell

Writing for government carries a special responsibility.

The words we choose shape how people think about policies, services, and institutions. Clarity, honesty, and readability affects trust, engagement, and democratic participation.

In his 1946 essay Politics and the English Language, Orwell makes this case: vague, pompous, or clichéd writing isn’t just stylistically poor — it undermines thought, obscures meaning, and hides truth.

Language shapes perception and power

“Political language … is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”

In government, language isn’t neutral: the way we describe policies, regulations, services, and decisions influences how people understand them. Writing clearly helps ensure transparency. Writing obliquely or vaguely obscures what’s really going on.

Orwell’s writing principles

Here’s how Orwell’s 6 rules from his 1946 essay apply to government writing today.

1. “Never use a metaphor, simile, or figure of speech you see often in print.”

Avoid idioms, clichés and metaphors (like “ring true,” “stepping stones,” “hotbed of crime”). They’re often vague. They may not mean the same across different audiences or when translated into other languages.

Instead, use concrete, literal language that conveys specific meaning.

2. “Never use a long word where a short one will do.”

Use everyday words:

• Use instead of utilise

• Help instead of facilitate

• Start instead of commence

This helps people understand things quicker and easier.

3. “If you can cut a word out, always cut it out.”

Be concise. Government writing often suffers from verbosity.

Remove:

• Unnecessary adverbs

• Redundant phrases

• Legalese

Short sentences are easier to read on mobile.

4. “Never use the passive where you can use the active.”

Active voice is more upfront and easier to follow.

For example:

• Instead of: “Applications will be processed by the department”

• Write: “The department will process applications.”

5. “Never use a foreign phrase, scientific term, or jargon if an everyday equivalent exists.”

Avoid bureaucratic or technical jargon.

Sometimes you need to use specific terminology and it’s unavoidable. If you do, keep it minimal and provide a plain language explanation of it.

6. “Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.”

Some decisions or policies involve trade-offs, caveats, or conditionality. Oversimplifying for the sake of readability can mislead or obscure nuance.

Add clarity when it’s needed. Use examples to illustrate what you mean.

Clear writing fosters clear thinking (and better decisions)

“If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”

Sloppy writing tends to reflect sloppy thinking, according to Orwell. When language is vague, padded with jargon, or built from abstract phrases, it often signals the underlying thinking hasn’t been fully worked through.

If a department can’t explain a process clearly to the public, there’s a good chance the process itself is unclear, inconsistent, or overly complex behind the scenes.

An example: sidewalk repair

Imagine a city launching a new sidewalk repair program. The website reads:

“The City is facilitating a comprehensive multimodal pedestrian infrastructure enhancement initiative intended to optimize connectivity and improve community walkability outcomes.”

This sentence sounds official but doesn’t actually help anyone understand what’s happening. Who is doing what? Where? When? How does this affect residents? The vague language masks the real questions that both staff and residents need answered.

Instead, just say: “We’re fixing damaged sidewalks on busy neighborhood streets to make walking safer. Construction starts in April and will move block by block. We’ll send notices before work begins on your street.”

The act of simplifying the language forces clearer thinking:

• What is the actual goal? Safer walking.

• Who benefits? People in affected neighborhoods.

• What will happen? Sidewalk repairs.

• When? Starting in April.

• How will people know? Notices before construction.

Clear writing is part of good service design

When departments explain things simply (like an action page that helps someone do something) it often exposes:

• Missing steps

• Unspoken assumptions

• Internal processes no one owns

• Policies that sound reasonable but don’t work in practice

Orwell’s insight is a practical tool for government: clear language doesn’t just serve the public — it improves the institution itself.

Civic writing needs Orwell’s spirit

Governments don’t need to write to impress. They write to inform and clarify.

Adopting this spirit is the affirmation of democratic principle: people deserve clear, accessible, honest language from the institutions that serve them.

When we write like we mean what we say, we create space for understanding, trust, and real engagement.