51

Dissidence in Soviet-bloc countries posed Western Social-democratic parties with a dilemma: how to demonstrate their solidarity with those living behind the Iron Curtain while maintaining their commitment to a policy of Détente? Some observers have highlighted social-democratic indifference; others have argued that a dual strategy was at work, the leadership focusing on relations with governments while lower levels provided support for the dissidents. A ‘realist’ approach to international relations certainly induced most social democrats to prioritize relations with governments, but some circles - including top officials - concretely assisted Eastern European oppositionists, whether exiled in the West or still active in Poland, Czechoslovakia or the German Democratic Republic.