Krugovaia poruka, which is often translated as “solidarity,” is, to the Russian ear, a neutral or even positive term, used to urge Soviet children to study harder and be better little Communists. This may be why Levada chose the more jarring term “collective hostage-taking” to refer to one of “the most potent instruments of coercion and intimidation used by the Soviet state.” Even after the Great Terror passed, it kept the overwhelming majority of the population passive by the understanding that any action could endanger a larger group.
