Author(s): Dragoş PETRESCU
Publication name: Romanian Intelligence Studies Review
Publisher name: Mihai Viteazul National Intelligence Academy
Publication type: Journal article
Publication date: December 31, 2017
Pagination:
Issue/ Volume: 17-18/2017
DOI:
Abstract
The present paper analyses the intricate issue of legitimation of non-democratic
regimes by focusing on the communist regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu during a particular
time span, namely, 1965–77. This author contends that the issue of legitimation of
communist rule in Romania should be addressed not only from the perspective of recent
history and communist studies, but also from the perspective of history of intelligence.
Thus, this paper demonstrates that in the particular context of August 1968, the
Ceauşescu regime acquired “limited legitimacy through consent.” Furthermore, from the
perspective of history of intelligence, this paper argues that certain communist spy
novels set forth fictional characters of Securitate officers as defenders of the Romanian
“socialist nation” against the hostile actions of Western spies. Thus, for a limited period
of time such spy novels contributed to persuading some segments of society to believe
that the Securitate’s mission was actually to protect the nation against foreign, that is,
Western enemies.
Keywords: 1968, legitimation, communism, Securitate, spy novels, role models
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