In the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), by George Orwell, Hate Week is a psychological operation designed to increase as much as possible the population's hatred of the current enemy of the totalitarian Party, whichever of the two opposing super-states that may be.
During one particular Hate Week, Oceania switched allies while a public speaker is in the middle of a sentence, although the disruption was minimal: the posters against the previous enemy were deemed to be "sabotage" of Hate Week conducted by Emmanuel Goldstein and his supporters, summarily torn down by the crowd, and quickly replaced with propaganda against the new enemy, thus demonstrating the ease with which the Party directs the hatred of its members.
While participation in this event is not legally required, avoiding or refusing to do so is said to make one appear suspicious to the Thought Police, generally resulting in the vaporisation (execution) of the perpetrator.
The aggregate effect of Hate Week thus is to excite the populace to such a point that they "would unquestionably have torn [captured enemy soldiers] to pieces" if given the opportunity.
[4] Scott Boulding argues similarities between the dystopian hate week and Stalinist efforts to supplant religion with devotional services to the state.