Authority figures may organize show trials featuring public confessions when they are faced with deep rooted contradictions within the social order and want to increase their legitimacy, delegitimize defendants, and justify increased social control in society. An analysis of the court report of the Moscow Show Trials found that these public confessions frame conflicts rooted in contradictions within the social order as acts of deviance that can be resolved with additional social control. The public confessions accomplished this using four main themes: establishing credibility, labeling the defendants as deviant, endorsing the power holder, and demonstrating closure.

中文翻译：

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自白在表演秀中的作用：对莫斯科表演秀的分析

当权威人士面对社会秩序中根深蒂固的矛盾并希望增加其合法性，使被告人合法化并证明增加社会对社会的控制权时，权威人士可能会组织以公众供词为特色的表演审判。对《莫斯科表演审判》法庭报告的分析发现，这些公开供述将根植于社会秩序内部矛盾的冲突定性为偏差行为，可以通过额外的社会控制来解决。公众认罪通过以下四个主要主题实现了这一目标：树立信誉，将被告贴上反常的标签，认可权力持有人并表明关闭。