Timothy Garton Ash's The File Analysis

“The control of information is something the elite always does, particularly in a despotic form of government. Information, knowledge, is power. If you can control information, you can control people. (Tom Clancy)” The Ministry for State Security or simply know as the Stasi had maintained a tight grip over the people of the German Democratic republic, or GDR, with the use of spies and constant surveillance over it’s people. The Stasi is still known today as one of the most effective intelligence agencies of all time compiling millions of surveillance files on the German people. In Timothy Garton Ash’s The File, he references these Stasi files, showing the extensive almost overly suspicious spying that was done by the informal collaborators of the organization. In modern day Russia Vladimir Putin portrays an image of strength and manliness to legitimize him politically and maintain his people’s support. Valerie Sperling author of Sex, Politics and Putin analyses how Putin uses his machoism to control anti-regime groups and stay well liked by the people. The tactics used by both Putin and the Stasi prove to be extremely effective in controlling citizens and keeping any form of opposition from rising. Most German’s who ended up living in east Germany after the war did not want to be living under the strict rule of …show more content…
With the Stasi excessive spying and iron fist, they provided the GDR with much needed stability. Putin and his regime have legitimized itself through the use of a misogynistic ideals and a masculine image to gather the support of most people in Russia. These two entities, a leader and a government organization, had a very specific goal and that was to gain control over a nation they went about it in an eerily similar way, “If you can control information, you can control people. (Tom