It's hard to tell with Batman when you can use force and when you need someone coherent to talk. Of course, it's hard to tell with Batman regarding almost anything, no matter who is writing him.
Bruce has a "mean streak." He's had one since he decided the best way to deal with his parents' murder was to spend his life waging war on all criminals. Batman is Bruce's mean streak.
Also, it was the 1980s before communism collapsed. Everyone had a mean streak.