Limits on freedoms - personal, political and religious

• Both the Tsars and the Communists were adept at controlling the personal freedoms of individuals by using the legal system, the police, the armed forces, propaganda and censorship. Generally, the people were allowed to exercise their free will as long as it didn't conflict woth autocracy of totalitarian rule.
• Occasionally, individuals were allowed to belong to political parties and trade unions, and some were even allowed to vote
• Political freedoms were never universal or consistently granted. Whenever leaders felt their authority was being challenged, they reacted with repressive measures
• Under the Provisional Government, a more tolerant approach was adopted towards grass roots political activism
• A common feature of all Russian leaders' period of rule is that they limited the personal and political freedoms of the masses - that is the freedom to exercise their power by voting, joining political parties or pressure groups and expressing their views through the media.
• Pollical parties were monitored and controlled under the tsars but they did exist. Under the communists only one party existed.