Fan community for FX's The Americans

I think that Elizabeth's distinct between the Center and the Party tied directly to Philip's comment that they 'believed in something so big.' Those 'big' ideas were the more idealistic goals of the communist party, not the brutal way that the politicians enforced them at home and abroad. She and Philip had been soldiers for the oppressive, political side of communism for so long that they'd lost touch with the values they thought they were fighting for. Having Philip essentially tell her that she was losing/had lost her humanity because of this was a huge affront to her but it was enough of a jolt to make her question why the Center was asking her to murder an innocent Party member.