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Part 3, Chapter 19: The Zeks as a Nation
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
According to Solzhenitsyn, camp keepers, or lagershchiki, wielded brutal power over the prisoners in the Archipelago and, like nearly every element of the system, were hopelessly corrupt. They viewed their positions as ruling over personal fiefdoms, where every order they gave was law. Selected and trained through a system that eliminated anyone with a conscience, these officers became ruthless enforcers. They believed in their own superiority, and they thrived on the deference prisoners were forced to show them. Their arrogance fueled their sense of invincibility, and they issued arbitrary punishments designed to remind everyone of their dominance.
The camp keepers’ arbitrary punishments underscore the regime’s prioritization of control and dominance over justice or rehabilitation. By eliminating those with a conscience from positions of power, the Soviet system cultivated enforcers who epitomized the cruel values of the Archipelago, reinforcing Solzhenitsyn’s argument that the system’s moral decay corrupted individuals and fostered a culture of oppression.
Themes
Greed was rampant among camp keepers, who took advantage of every opportunity to enrich themselves. High salaries, bonuses, and state-funded privileges weren’t enough to satisfy them. They exploited prisoner labor for personal gain and even stole from aid meant for the camps. The environment also nurtured lascivious behavior, with officers abusing their power to inflict sexual abuse on female prisoners. The culture of unchecked authority meant that violence and exploitation became standard, with camp chiefs orchestrating abuses and lower-ranking guards following their lead.
The widespread corruption among camp keepers illustrates the moral bankruptcy of the Soviet system, where those tasked with maintaining order succumbed to exploitation and abuse. Solzhenitsyn’s focus on their exploitation of prisoner labor and theft of aid reveals how the regime’s hierarchy incentivized self-interest and corruption, undermining any pretense of ideological purity. The systemic sexual abuse of female prisoners further highlights the depravity the camps fostered.
Themes
Although lower-ranking guards occasionally displayed a flicker of humanity, this was rare and fleeting. These guards, though often bitter about their lower status, were generally eager to mirror the officers’ harshness. The guards vented their frustrations on prisoners, finding small ways to exercise their power. Occasionally, they showed brief moments of sympathy, but the prevailing atmosphere was one of dehumanization.
The lower-ranking guards’ behavior illustrates how the oppressive structure of the camps permeated all levels of authority, corrupting even those with relatively limited power. Though their brief moments of sympathy make them seem almost human, their ideological allegiance to the Party ultimately won out.
Themes
