Politics Archives

The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: Overview

What were Soviet prison labor camps like? Why was The Gulag Archipelago so courageous and impactful? What lessons does it hold for us today? The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn describes life in Soviet prison labor camps from the late 1910s to the mid-50s. It exposed human rights abuses by the Soviet Union, counteracting decades of propaganda. Today, it acts as a warning of how governments can use violence, paranoia, and repression to control and exploit their citizens. Keep reading for an overview of this important book and an exercise you can use to apply Solzhenitsyn’s lessons to the modern

Threats to Election Workers Might Make Voting Harder

What’s causing the recent election threats? Why are poll workers being impacted? How could voting be affected? Heading into the midterm elections, threats and political pressures have left the U.S. with a potential shortage of election workers to staff polling locations. A sufficient number of election workers is crucial to the democratic process and to running elections smoothly. Keep reading for an overview of the poll worker shortage and election threats facing the 2022 midterm elections.

Could the Protests in Iran Lead to Government Reform?

Why are there protests in Iran? Could the recent protests lead to lasting reforms? Violent protests are sweeping Iran as citizens condemn a woman’s death in police custody and, more broadly, the government’s oppressive theocratic rule. However, Iranians have protested the regime before and failed. Read on to learn more about the protests in Iran and if they have the potential to cause government reform.

Russian Xenophobia During the Soviet Era: Solzhenitsyn Explains

What were Soviet citizens told about the West? How did the government exploit the xenophobia it created? One way the Soviet government indoctrinated its citizens was by setting up a kind of us-versus-them mentality. This provided the impression that the Soviet Union was the bastion of morality and strength and had to be defended unquestioningly against other, more corrupt nations. Learn how the Soviet government cultivated Russian xenophobia and then exploited it to gain more power.

Soviet Gulags: How Soviet Society Was Kept in the Dark

How much did the public know about the Soviet gulags when they were in operation? How much did people fear them? Though the conditions in Soviet gulags were obviously inhumane, they were rarely discussed in public—let alone protested—prior to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s first novel about the camps in 1962. This silence, and the extent and brutality of the gulags, were made possible by the near-total control the government had over its citizens. Read more to learn how Soviet society was kept in the dark about the gulag system for so long.

Propaganda in the USSR: Revisionism & Euphemisms as Weapons

How did propaganda in the USSR operate? What tactics succeeded in misleading the masses? From the 1930s on, the Soviet Union had an extremely robust and powerful propaganda system, exerting near-total control over how the government was depicted in the media, literary fiction, and education. This was done primarily through historical revisionism and the use of euphemisms. Continue reading for insights from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn on Soviet propaganda.

Soviet Labor Camps: Insights From The Gulag Archipelago

What were Soviet labor camps designed to do? How were they like Nazi death camps? What happened to released prisoners? The Gulag Archipelago is a work of historical nonfiction that describes life in Soviet labor camps, popularly known as gulags, in the USSR from the late 1910s to the mid-50s. Prisoners such as author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn were arrested on minor or fabricated charges, tortured and robbed, and held in camps for decades. Keep reading to learn how gulags subjected prisoners to forced labor, physical abuse, long prison terms, and exile.

Facebook and Politics: Scandals, Polarization, & Fake News

What was the Cambridge Analytica scandal? Did Russia really place divisive ads on Facebook? According to Scott Galloway, Facebook is perhaps the worst Big Tech offender when it comes to prioritizing profit over privacy and democracy. He discusses Facebook’s scandals affecting the 2016 election, its polarizing ad model, and its refusal to take responsibility for fake news on its platform. Keep reading to learn about the troubling history of Facebook and politics.

U.S. Marijuana Laws Are Changing—Here’s What to Know

What’s currently happening with U.S. marijuana laws? Is the “War on Drugs” ending? What’s the future of marijuana? President Biden has just announced pardons for federal marijuana charges, which could mark the beginning of the end of the war on drugs. Additionally, if passed, a new marijuana law reform bill could mean all 50 states will soon embrace some degree of marijuana legalization. Read on to learn about the new changes to U.S. marijuana laws, including the historical context of the war on drugs.

The 2 New Climate Change Policies That May Protect Millions

Why are climate change policies important? Which recent policies did the U.S. pass? What domestic and global impact will they have? The U.S. Senate has broken through its infamous gridlock to deliver two major pieces of climate change legislation. With the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act and ratifying of the Kigali Amendment, millions of people could now be protected from some of the worst threats of global warming. Read on to learn about these two major climate change policies and their potential impact on the world.