And the technology revolution in media.
We do have a better ability to get the truth than the Soviet citizen as technology makes it impossible to keep something a total secret. Wikileaks shows that. But you have to look for it on your own, don’t expect the truth to be delivered to you. As an example with the UUSR, the Soviets intended to cover up Chernobyl by not reporting it in the press. But it was so big that they couldn’t cover it up and news of the disaster spread word of mouth. And with that, the last thin reserves of credibility and trust of the people were gone. In the end, Chernobyl may have blown up the USSR.
But unless you look at alternate news such as FR, you wouldn’t know about Khan’s ties to Clinton, or Clinton was always lying about the “Benghazi Video.” The problem is that news stories covered up by the MSM do not get a complete vetting in the light of day, and only parts of the truth get out.