Excerpts from a speech delivered at a conference of the USSR State Security Committee, February 1979

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Ideological subversion takes place in the realm encompassing political, philosophical, legal, ethical, aesthetic, religious, and other views and ideas—that is, in the sphere of ideology where a battle of ideas is waged. Therefore, ideological subversion shares many characteristics inherent with ideological struggle. However, it is not the conventional ideological struggle, which is the objective outcome of the current existence of two opposing systems. Ideological subversion is, first and foremost, a form of subversive activity by imperialism against socialism. Its purpose is to weaken and destabilize the socialist system. It is carried out by special means and often amounts to direct interference in the internal affairs of socialist countries, contravening generally recognized norms of international law and socialist laws. The fact that it is conducted in the field of ideology does not alter its subversive and illegal nature. This is what determines, first and foremost, the firmness and intransigence of our fight against ideological subversion in any form.

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Ideological subversion is based entirely and completely on lies, fabrication, and the gross distortion of facts. It is also distinguished by the fact that nowadays it is not carried out by a conventional propaganda apparatus, but by specially organized services. These special services, of course, make use of the machinery of bourgeois propaganda and utilize all forms of mass communication, but they place their main bets on specialized subversive channels.

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This subversion is aimed at influencing citizens' views and feelings, their worldview, and, through their conscience, their political and moral conduct.

(...) in the sphere of the struggle for men's minds, imperialism does not rely exclusively on the means of conventional ideological struggle, on bourgeois ideas that were long ago exposed as unpopular and reactionary. It employs the poisoned weapon of ideological saboteurs: disinformation and slander, falsification and lies.

(...) it is precisely the morally powerful and politically characterless individual, susceptible to various feelings and rumors, who becomes the first victim of ideological subversion.

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The work of the state security organs in neutralizing the ideological subversion of imperialism is, first and foremost, a political task. State security personnel must always remember that they are the political fighters of our Party in the most crucial areas of the class struggle. The primary and indispensable condition for adhering to the correct political line in all the activities of the state security organs is their daily guidance by the Communist Party and its Leninist Central Committee.

The specific working conditions of the state security bodies impose particularly rigorous demands on those assigned to work and fight in this area. Among all these demands, the qualities of communists hold a place of honor: ideologically dedicated fighters, politically mature, and energetic defenders of the Party line. They are obliged to be principled, selfless, and loyal to the Party.

Speeches and writings, YV Andropov.

Taken from https://telegra.ph/Subversi%C3%B3n-ideol%C3%B3gica--el-arma-envenenada-del-imperialismo-10-05