Military Review English Edition November December 2016 | Page 123

AGENDA SETTING

opposition to Bolshevist rule from
emerging. Tactics ranged from
Propaganda
Agitation
state-sponsored public ridicule of
Universe of issues people
political opponents, and media seicould be thinking about
zure and censorship, to vandalism,
physical intimidation and attacks,
kidnapping, torture, and murder.
During Lenin’s ensuing Red Terror
Issues of
individual
campaign, estimates range from
concern,
Media issues
twelve thousand to two hundred
influenced by
thousand political opponents who
face-to-face
were killed as Lenin tightened the
contact
noose around the public agenda.14
And, as the Cheka took steps
to crush political opponents, it
walked arm in arm with the newly
formed state propaganda ministry
to ensure that the public agenda
was set by Lenin himself and no
Organization
other. With a disciplined vanguard
party, state control of the media
through the propaganda ministry,
and the Cheka in place, Lenin
What the Vanguard Party and the
no longer depended solely on the
Cheka/Brownshirts compel people to think about
vagaries of persuasion to shape
(Graphic by Arin Burgess, Military Review)
independent thought and free will
among the Russian masses for setFigure 4. Party-Focused and
ting the state agenda (see figure 4).
Cheka-Compelled Issues
Subsequently, the Cheka
became the model adopted by
activity. To paraphrase Shaw and McCombs, they were
other socialist and fascist governments, as well as othtechniques that aimed to narrow the universe of things
er diverse authoritarian regimes. For example, taking
about which the targeted audience were collectively
careful note of Lenin’s formula, Italian dictator Benito
enticed to think about.
Mussolini established a secret organization with the
However, Lenin was not satisfied with depending
same mission of squashing political and media oppoon the free will of an audience to either accept or reject
sition after his seizure of power. Not surprisingly, in
his revolutionary agenda, which would have only left
apparent honor of Lenin, he nicknamed that organiopen the possibility of other competing political agenzation the Cheka.14 Emulating Mussolini in turn, the
das usurping his own through more appealing and
National Socialists of Germany established first the
skillful messaging and organization. Hence, the last
Brownshirts, and shortly after that the Gestapo, both
principle of Lenin’s theoretical model is straightforinfluenced by the Italian and Soviet Cheka models.
ward coercion. Immediately after seizing power over
If Lenin were alive today, what organizations might
Russia, Lenin instructed the ruthless Bolshevik loyhe recognize as the heirs of the Cheka concept he
alist Felix Dzerzhinsky to organize the Extraordinary
fathered? The answer is: Cheka-like organizations are
Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and
today ubiquitous, standard fixtures of every authoritarSabotage. Established on 20 December 1917 under the
ian state of consequence, including China, Iran, North
name Cheka, its whole purpose was to prevent political
Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba, among others. And, as
MILITARY REVIEW  November-December 2016

121