What are the major issues George Orwell raises in Animal Farm?

Orwell's main focus is a critique of communism and he
builds it around a satirical look at the major events that helped to bring about a
communist state in Russia and the growth of the Soviet
Union.

He questions the communist outlook on religion, the
communist record when it comes to civil and humanitarian rights, and one of the most
dynamic issues is that of class and class conflict.  The animals themselves represent
various historical figures in the communist movement and the struggles they have also
represent specific events within the history of communist Russia, the Soviet
Union.

Throughout all of these issues Orwell also
questioned the use of propaganda by a state to achieve its goals, the manipulation of
truth and falsehood, etc.