Repression in the Soviet satellite states: state security; secret police systems; censorship; legal systems; the Church; emigration restrictions and defections
Communist governments in Soviet-controlled states used secret police, censorship and tight border controls to silence opposition and keep their populations under strict state control.
Real World
The East German Stasi employed roughly one informer per 63 citizens by the 1980s — a density of surveillance greater than the Gestapo ever achieved — meaning neighbours, colleagues, and even spouses routinely filed secret reports on one another.
Exam Focus
Link repression methods to their purpose (maintaining power) rather than listing them in isolation to access higher marks.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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