One of the main features of the communist states is the planned economy. This means the state has to be a totalitarian state. Totalitarian does not mean brutal or anything, in politics it means, a highly centralized states which can penetrate the peoples' lives at it's will. Lenin came up with this model. Stalin took it a step further and redifened the word, and made the term synonomous with tyrannical, brutal, dicatorship etc. You have a totalitarian state which thinks the revolution is not yet complete, and the remnants of counter-revolutionary elements are still present, the state has all the necessary powers to eliminate those who it thinks are counter-revolutionary, reactionary elements. Some resort to brutality, some choose peaceful, un-brutal ways. I don't know what our Maoists views are on eliminating the counter revolutionary elements from the society if they come to power, I hope they will not follow Pol Pot's example, instead opt for peaceful ways to eliminate the counter-revolutionary elements.