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In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest it is seen that as time goes by since McMurphy’s arrival, the balance of power inside the ward shifts as the Big Nurse looses power. The power that is held by The Combine starts to weaken as the weak patients start gaining confidence and power.

It is not only in the novel that this issue happens, the historical context in which the novel was written is that of rebellion and antiestablishment demonstration. During the 1950’s-before the book was written-and 1960’s-shortly after the book was published-many cases of people, who are oppressed or trampled, who defy the power of the Combine. The Civil Rights movement of the 1950’s is a perfect example of this change in power. An oppressed group of people fought-even the government-to acquire equality and rights that every human being should have. This time period is also the time period is also marked with the happening of the Cold War, in another aspect this can also be seen as a shift in the balance of power. The USSR with its communist regime starts to defy the powers of capitalism that rose in the lathe nineteenth century in England. As the red wave of communism attempted to take over the world, the USA did the same with its capitalist model and its tricky propaganda. In this particular case there are two Combines; one defying the existing power of the other, just to replace it with other oppressive politics-perhaps more direct and tyrannical. The dispute between this two Combines created the same effect that the struggle between McMurphy and Miss Ratched did: sometimes the patients lost-Cheswick, Billy Bibbit-and other times they were liberated like Chief Bromden. Taking those events into account it is not surprising that the values of American society in 1950’s reflect a necessity for power. The American Dream, a car, a big house with a corporate job, it shows a necessity for control that was created by the very events that happened previously. The mix of all these events lead to a very scared society-the patients-that allowed any inmorale action the Combine saw fit to accomplish their goals. However both Miss Ratched and McMurphy’s methods are questionable. In the novel Miss Ratched manages to make the patients doubt MacMurphy when she tells them that he is out to get rich and that his goal is actually selfish. This coincides with McMurphy realizing he doesn’t wan to spend his life on the Ward and starts to behave slightly better. At this moment the shift in the balance of power that happens stops and favors Miss Ratched for a second. It is only when McMurphy and The Chief fight the guards that the balance of power leans completely towards McMurphy, and the Nurse looses most of her power.

Just like Miss Ratched, the Combine of the 1950’s America controlled their patients through fear. However, like McMurphy came to defy Miss Ratched, there were certain people how defied the Combine. Although many of the events happened after the book was written, they do reflect the spirit of time. The antiestablishment movements that protested the war in Vietnam is a perfect example of this. The patients were tired of the abuses and atrocities committed by the Combine-no matter what goal they were trying to pursue. Basically around that time, we see that a very intrusive and radical Combine emerges and has a power struggle with the other Combine. One could say that USSR and USA represent McMurphy and Miss Ratched, and that the shift in power is only so that McMurphy can abuse the patients too. It is also plausible that McMurphy is more like the protestors of the Civil Rights movement or the Vietnam War, that are trying to defy the Combine not always in the most correct ways. Any of those two analyses is perfectly valid. In a way the two perspectives are true, McMurphy might want to acquire power to liberate the inmates from the tyrannical rule of Nurse Ratched only to take over and apply his own kind of justice and rule. Even though McMurphy’s methods may be questionable and that his purpose is not always the best it is agreeable that he intends to replace an oppressive form of government. The representation of the values and events of the time period is show simoultaneously in many different ways. The USSR, for example, could represent McMurphy in the sense that they both try to take down a regime they consider oppressive. Ironically one can see McMurphy as the USA trying to battle a tyrannical, cruel Combine that deprives people from their freedom. During the 1950’s, 1960’s, and even 1970’s-despite that this is after the books publication- there is a wave of instability in the institutions in leading to an inversion in the possession of control and power. Civil Rights Movements, the Cold War, Vietnam War protestation, the various revolutions around the world and the birth of a new generation of individuals-true individuals in the sense of individuality and freedom of spirit and mind- are all different forms of challenges to existing powers. Whether it is a Combine challenging the power of another combine, or an oppressed group fighting the tyrants, or the general public who is tired of the abuses of the Combine, control and power belonged to a different person or group even if for a short period of time. Parallel to this, in the book McMurphy slowly takes over the Ward until the party were he completely takes power over everyone and becomes in charge. The climax of his rule comes when he chokes the nurse and completely destroys her. After this he is lobotomized and martyrized, and even though he is practically dead his figure and ideals lives on to inspire the Chief-and almost everyone else-to escape the Ward and defeat the Combine.