I wholeheartedly agree that the leftist antagonists begin with that mindset because they believe they are the highest moral authority. However, even article 58 of the RSFSR Penal Code didn't get enacted until 1927, after Stalin had cemented his government in place (and discovered their communist utopia was a pipe dream which dissenters were growing weary of, and of whom he was evermore paranoid about). So I'd say the whole of society descends more slowly into the implementation than the leadership which is already sold on justifying their ends.
Interesting aside... the activities of the USIC bear a striking resemblence to Article 58. Almost as if their media and social media policies are a de facto implementation of the same type of provisions. And while we don't quite have gulags and political executions, we certainly have show trials.
Agree. But I wouldn’t say they descend into the ends justify the means, they are already in that mentality from the very start.
I wholeheartedly agree that the leftist antagonists begin with that mindset because they believe they are the highest moral authority. However, even article 58 of the RSFSR Penal Code didn't get enacted until 1927, after Stalin had cemented his government in place (and discovered their communist utopia was a pipe dream which dissenters were growing weary of, and of whom he was evermore paranoid about). So I'd say the whole of society descends more slowly into the implementation than the leadership which is already sold on justifying their ends.
Interesting aside... the activities of the USIC bear a striking resemblence to Article 58. Almost as if their media and social media policies are a de facto implementation of the same type of provisions. And while we don't quite have gulags and political executions, we certainly have show trials.
Exactly. Same script - different time. If you are familiar with the history of Marxist tyrannies, you know exactly what's going to happen.
And the gulags will follow (the Jan 6 prisoners seem like a precursor) if things continue along the wrong path 😕