Why would people want to leave? Why could people not leave?

The Soviet Union was known for its oppressive, radical, communist regime. Its citizens faced political, economic, and social hardship. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union raised its military spending. This froze production of civilian goods leading to an overwhelming, and sharp, economic decline furthering the demise of the Soviet Union. In addition, anti-Semitism was strong in Russia. Jews were legally discriminated against; they could not hold certain jobs and were prevented from getting into universities through an unjust quota system. It was illegal for Jews to have religious institutions, schools, cultural centers, or the like. Many Jews kept their religion a secret for fear of Russian retaliation.

Corruption was common, and the human rights of its citizens were abused. Many people wanted to leave, but strict government laws made it impossible. The Soviet Union always maintained a facade that it created “a worker’s and peasants paradise.” This was far from the truth as many people were poor and had a low quality of life.