New socialist states need secret services

It is an unfortunate fact that every single one of us mammals sees the world upside down, with some of us more successful at righting that perception than others.

Under capitalism, an upside-down view of the world is artificially maintained by organs of state security and when the balance of society changes many will be further confused.

Unfortunately some may become the new state's enemies because humans are not all logic and rational and some tend to lose their balance temporarily; a few may even give their lives in defending "the old order."

For these reasons organs of state security are still necessary in new socialist states, but at least we will and do call them what they are, not use cover titles like military intelligence.

Tony draws attention to the USSR and GDR collapsing "suddenly like a pack of cards" and there was most probably both over-enthusiasm and incompetence operative in both scenarios.

Nick points to the so-far highly successful Cuban Committees for the Defence of the Revolution. From personal experience, and visits to both GDR and Cuba, I can certainly attest to the integration of the CDRs within their local communities.

It is undeniable that the CDRs were formed to counter a self-evident external threat but also less-obvious internal threats from diseases of the body or of perception.

It is the very openness of the Cuban revolution and the sophistication of its political officers that has safeguarded the work of the CDRs, and the on-going construction of an example for so many neighbouring countries.

Theo Arrowsmith

Chesham