In part possibly because it was a few years after WW2 where millions of allied soldiers thought against Fascism which was enforced via secret police (Gestapo).

It's easier to stand against something when there is something stand against - The end of the cold war meant the west didn't have a "At least we don't do <insert Stasi tactics">" to oppose itself to.

Now we routinely do things that would have made the Stasi wet themselves in excitement.