I agree on the thesis. The rational translation of how "IT SHOULD BE". But I still have doubts about the "HOW IT WAS", Barry, considering the CK(Cheka) did EXECUTE a large number of opposition, even in during Soviet Russia's most democratic, golden years. Yes, there were assasination attempts against almost every Soviet leader(3 attempts on Lenin himself, 1 almost suceeded), and yes, the White Russian and their Imperial cohorts wiped out a huge number of people - indiscriminatingly.
But would those circumstances, however base and degenerate it may have been, still justify the CK executuions?