Khrushchev

• There was a relaxation of control over intellectual life and more access to western influences. Some publications were quite critical of the regime eg One day in the life.
• Whilst Khrushchev had a genuine desire to use less terror, there were still limits to the relaxation of control. Some books like Dr Zhivago were banned
• Legal reforms led to new criminal code in 1958. This abolished the catch-all code of 1934. Civilians could no longer be tried in military courts for political crimes. Convictions by confession alone were banned. Death penalty was abolished for most crimes and comrade courts were introduced for petty crimes
• NKVD became the KGB. Activities continued but to a lesser extent than under Stalin.
• Limited impact of legal Reform - comrade courts open to corruption. Death penalty was reintroduced for serious corruption
• Suppression of Novocherkassk and death of 24 indicates a repressive regime continued
• There were attempts to change the amount of control used and grant people more freedoms but at times this was undermined by the harsh repression of protests and censorship of liberal arts