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Part 3, Chapter 11: The Loyalists
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Gulag Archipelago, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Oppression and Totalitarianism
Survival and the Human Spirit
The Dangers of Ideology
Power as a Corrupting Force
The Value of Religion and Spirituality
Summary
Analysis
The KGB relied heavily on stool pigeons (another name for informants) rather than advanced technology to spy. This pervasive culture of spying created a constant paranoia, as people had to always ask themselves who might be the informer among their neighbors, colleagues, or friends. The system used various pressures to recruit informants, including appeals to Soviet loyalty, promises of long-sought rewards, or threats against vulnerabilities. Some defended themselves by invoking the Christian faith, which some security officers chose to respect. However, many ultimately gave in and became informants.
The reliance on informants is another example the deeply personal and invasive nature of Soviet oppression. Solzhenitsyn’s depiction of the recruitment methods used to pressure individuals into informing emphasizes the moral compromises forced upon people in the Soviet system. Although spirituality could occasionally be used as a defense, for the most part, the citizens of the Soviet Union were left defenseless and forced to give up information, even if they didn’t want to.
Themes
