The spies lied too and, perhaps worse, the analysis back at the Center was motivated by politics and the usual careerism. The Mitrokhin archives provide an excellent look at how the played out in foreign intelligence, domestic spying was fairly similar.
Re:Who Got It Right: Orwell or Huxley?
by kesselvon on Thursday January 27, 2022 @06:26PM
(#30108529)
This is pretty historically documented, and kind of something that still exists as a holdover in ex-Soviet countries. The lying became so pervasive that it was impossible to tell what the actual output of industry was
When everyone lies the only thing spies can collect is lies.
Re:Who Got It Right: Orwell or Huxley?
by native_samples on Friday January 28, 2022 @05:07AM
(#30112746)
Presumably the sort of people who can task spy satellites are the secret service.
So the director of the agrar kolchose might lie and so on, but why should the secret informants who are installed in that company, lie about it?
So I am pretty sure, the information was avaiable. It was probably a matter of not wanting to believe the information as that would mean, the glorious sovjet union was maybe not so glorious after all - and thinking that, would make you a traitor. So lets just continue to wave and smile.