The vast majority of people sent to prison by the soviets were criminals, thieves, murderers, rapists, etc. The political prisoners were largely members of the White Army, fascists, monarchists, or were active terrorists against society. For a country that went through a revolution, resistance from the older owning classes is expected, other revolutions were similar in use of force against the monarchy and other ruling classes.
I mean also, just look at the conditions faced by prisoners in e.g. the US, not to mention the sheer number of them. Mass incarceration is not unique to communist states!
The vast majority of people sent to prison by the soviets were criminals, thieves, murderers, rapists, etc. The political prisoners were largely members of the White Army, fascists, monarchists, or were active terrorists against society. For a country that went through a revolution, resistance from the older owning classes is expected, other revolutions were similar in use of force against the monarchy and other ruling classes.
I mean also, just look at the conditions faced by prisoners in e.g. the US, not to mention the sheer number of them. Mass incarceration is not unique to communist states!