- Stalin led a revolution - so naturally, he was scared of a counter-revolution - Founded the NKVD, a secret police, to take care of any threats - Anyone who was suspected of not supporting communism would be put on trial - Many of the people who worked under the Tsar would be put on trial - even if you were accused of something you did not do, you would have to admit to it - if you pleaded guilty, you were sent to the Gulags - if you pleaded innocent, you would be sent to the Gulags anyway, and members of your family would be killed untill you pleaded guilty