Why it matters
Historical significance
The organisation grew into a powerful political police and made coercion central to the defence and construction of one-party rule.
20 December 1917 · Consolidating Power
Sovnarkom created the Cheka under Felix Dzerzhinsky to combat sabotage and counter-revolution.
Why it matters
The organisation grew into a powerful political police and made coercion central to the defence and construction of one-party rule.