The Eyes and Ears of the Regime (Glaza i Ushi Rezhima)

After coming to power amid the revolutionary upheavals of 1917, the Bolsheviks faced the challenge of ensuring political control and loyalty. How did they manage to impose totalitarian principles of governance on society over the course of a decade, suppressing political opposition, the beginnings of civil society, and any manifestation of discontent? How was this regime of control enforced? What made it unique? In his book, Vladlen Izmozik examines the development of the system of political control in the USSR from 1917 to 1928, examining it as a complex phenomenon. Drawing on archival materials, the author demonstrates how secret information was distributed at various levels, creating an interdependence between the highest political leadership and the security agencies. He also reveals the contradictory mood of Russian society in the 1920s, which was dissatisfied with the performance of the new government and simultaneously passive, desiring stability and willing to adapt to the prevailing historical realities. Vladlen Izmozik is a Doctor of Historical Sciences and a professor at the Saint Petersburg State University of Telecommunications named after Professor M.A. Bonch-Bruevich.