What's scary is that many neighbors, friends, family members, and colleagues became stooges for the governments of the time (both eastern and western)to spy and inform on any activities that didn't conform to the expected line. Just about like that in the past few years after 9/11. You have to be "patriotic", or you are a sympathizer to the "enemy".

The notation of the "working class" people of the north certainly implies that the government was concerned about their loyalties.

Astro