In various ways Reading Alexander Solzhenitsyn's, GULag Archipelago, have been interesting. Especially in relation to what have been talked about by some about the lost civilization referred to as Tataria/Tarteria and the increasing focus on preventing people from knowing truths, by powerhouses. As from what is written in that book(s), it seems like an orchestrated effort to take out everyone that had knowledge and understanding that empowered the people. All in the name of equality for the masses, equally horribly poor that is.
As the first that was mentioned was the effort of creating a image of the empowered farmer as a power hungry and greedy problem. One that people was to be angry at for being successful. They was given the name of Kulakks. Meaning a farmer that owned a farm where he benefited from haring others to work for him at that farm. And they could not be success full unless they knew what they was doing, so that was farmers that knew farming.
As the Proletarians (sociallistic communist party) came into power and the GULag camps was started, they had already spread they're influence to other countries too. So what Alexander describes as rivers flowing, was flowing from many different places, not just in the soviet union. And among the kinda people that was mentioned to be arrested, was Tatarians, or as the translated into Norwegian (being the translated version I read): Tatarer. So if that is indeed individuals that was still with us from that culture, then I would question if that was partly the reason for this horrible situation to be created. As Tatarians from what i hear, had also a lot of knowledge, that then became mostly lost. (Don't quote me on this, would be god if anyone could verify this reference in English translated version of this book)
But it would make sense as Tataria did exist in that area from what the map shows on what wiki writes bout it.
Thirdly, there was a clear bias against intellectuals and educated individuals. So Educated and political activists got the worse and longest imprisonments and even prolonged from some made up excuses while inside the GULag camps. You could even be imprisoned inside the prison. While petty criminals and thieves had it easy as they was allowed to steal from others inside the camps, and was even encouraged to do so by the guards at times. Partly because they also got Released earlier and before they're time.
So all in all its clear to me that at least one of the main effort of the GULag prison camp system was, by large, to get rid of knowledge, freedom and people with the will to resist authorities. An directed attack on truth.