Life Under Communism in
After
World War II, communists took control of eight Eastern European nations.
Communism in these countries ended democracy, made limited economic and social
progress, and finally collapsed.
During
World War II, Eastern Europe was caught between Nazi Germany and the Soviet
Union but by the war's end in 1945, the Soviet Union's Red Army occupied almost
all of Eastern Europe, including
Shortly
before
At
The
Stalinization of
At
the end of the war, Eastern European countries had been devastated. Millions
had been killed. Famine threatened the survivors. Unemployment and inflation
demoralized the people. The Nazis and the
The
communists promised the people of
The
communists who had fought the Nazis in
The
communists swiftly established "People's Democracies" in
Stalin
wanted
The
Stalinization of Eastern Europe began. The communist party in each country held
a complete monopoly of political power. This permitted no independent political
parties, no meaningful elections, and no criticism of the ruling communist
party. Ultimately, the lack of political accountability to the people led to
communism's collapse in Eastern Europe and the
Stalin
imposed a socialist economic model. The government, in the name of the people,
owned the factories, farms, mines, and other means of production. People could
no longer own their own profit-making businesses and farms, as in the
capitalist system. Government economic planners decided what and how much
should be produced each year, what the prices should be, and what wages should
be paid to the workers.
Following
Stalin's model, planners emphasized heavy industry such as steel making and
coal mining. Consumer goods like automobiles, clothing, and TVs became scarce
and expensive. The government guaranteed everyone the "right to
work," but this often meant a low wage doing a dirty job.
With
the emphasis on industrial production, smoke billowed from factories and
industrial waste flowed into rivers. Pollution became a major problem, but
little was done about it. Factory managers were under pressure to meet
production quotas. Consumers demanded more goods. Planners mainly ignored
environmental problems.
In
most countries, the government took over privately owned farms. It combined
them into large, state-owned agricultural enterprises or cooperatives where
farmers shared the land and equipment. Eastern European farmers often resisted
this collectivization of agriculture, but the communist governments applied
special taxes and denied health benefits to force them to comply.
A
few years after Stalin's death in 1953, the
The
Hungarian Revolt shocked Eastern European communist leaders, forcing most to
enact economic reforms. The reforms placed more emphasis on producing consumer
goods, eased up on farm collectivization, and even allowed some private free
enterprise.
Economic
and Social Conditions
By
1980, economic reforms had somewhat improved the standard of living in most
countries in
A
small minority of people were members of the Communist Party. They held almost
every important government post. They also enjoyed many privileges such as
better housing and special access to Western consumer goods. Others "voted
with their feet" and fled their homelands. Some risked open dissent. Most
Eastern Europeans, however, conformed to life under communism.
Shortages
of goods constantly occurred. Even when in stock, there was little variety of
goods. Often there was only one type of laundry soap, one flavor
of ice cream, and one kind of coffee. But most families owned a television set
and a washing machine. Many owned cars. But cars and appliances required long
waits.
In
fact, lines were a part of daily life. Shopping was an ordeal, especially in
the
In
the workplace, almost everyone had a job. Wages, however, lagged far behind
those in the Western democracies. A common joke was, "They pretend to pay
us, and we pretend to work." But rents, goods, and services were far
cheaper than in the West.
Most
industrial workers belonged to labor unions. But the
unions were run by the government mainly to help factory managers achieve their
production goals. Farmers resented having to give up their land and work for
the government on collective farms. Many left to work in city factories for higher
pay or better working conditions.
Housing,
built mainly by the government or group cooperatives, was always in short
supply. Often, two or three generations of a family lived in a three-room
apartment. Newlyweds usually had to wait years for a small apartment of their
own. But everyone had a home. Homelessness was not a problem.
Public
transportation was affordable and extensive. Most cities had a web of subway,
streetcar, and bus lines that carried people everywhere in the city. Railroad
transportation between cities was also low priced. Officials, however, forbid
travel outside the Eastern bloc.
The
government subsidized entertainment. The government paid the salaries of theater companies and athletes. Box office prices were low.
Everyone could afford to go to the theater, movies,
the opera, the ballet, or sporting events.
Universal
public health systems ("socialized medicine") covered everyone. The
government and state-owned businesses paid the costs of doctors, health
clinics, and hospitals. As a result, the health of the population generally
improved. The quality of health care, however, still fell short of that
provided by public health systems in most Western European nations.
The
communist governments offered many benefits for child care. They provided paid
maternity leave, grants of money for childbirth, monthly childcare allowances,
and low-cost pre-school.
All
education--from elementary school through college--was free. The government in
most Eastern European countries required all children to attend school until
age 16. At the end of the eighth grade, they entered high schools. Students who
wanted to go to special language or science schools took exams for entry. As in
most Western European countries, a government education ministry created a
uniform curriculum taught in all the schools. Entrance exams and students' high
school records determined admission to the state universities. By the 1980s,
illiteracy had been eliminated in most Eastern European countries.
All
Eastern European countries established a social security system. It included
government health insurance, welfare services, and pensions. In most countries,
men could retire as early as 60; the retirement age for women was generally a
few years earlier.
The
rate of violent crime was low. The streets were safe. But crimes of corruption,
such as bribery, flourished. People paid off officials and even shop clerks to
get ahead in line or get an item in short supply. Theft was a problem for items
that were in short supply. For example, car owners routinely removed their
windshield wipers when they parked their cars. Otherwise, the wipers might be
stolen and replacement parts were hard to find.
Human
Rights
Under
the communist systems of
The
communist regimes established civil and criminal court systems. In most cases,
the trial courts consisted of one professional judge and two citizen
"assessors," not specifically trained in the law. Public prosecutors
acted as defenders of the state, public defenders, and prosecutors of crimes.
They, like the judges and assessors, were accountable only to the government
officials who appointed them. The officials, of course, belonged to the communist
party.
A
fair trial might take place if the communist party had no interest in it. But
otherwise the system was stacked against those accused of crimes. Defendants
could be charged with political or economic crimes. The crime of "economic
sabotage" included such offenses as failing to achieve a factory
production quota. The courts vigorously prosecuted anyone dissenting against
communist-party rule. As in the
All
the Eastern European countries established extensive secret police
organizations. Soviet "advisors" occupied key command positions in
each of them. Moreover, secret police agents from the Soviet Union worked
throughout
The
German Democratic Republic's State Security Service (called the Stasi) was
probably the most terrifying secret police organization in
The
Stasi kept files on an estimated 6 million people. Stasi agents regularly used
phone taps, bugging devices, and video cameras to spy on their fellow citizens
and even on the Stasi itself. A huge number of informers passed on information
and rumors about their neighbors,
fellow workers, and relatives. Even church ministers sometimes informed on
members of their congregations. A climate of fear chilled the daily lives of
the people.
The
Collapse of Communism
Communist
rule in
Starting
in the early 1970s, Polish workers joined food riots and called strikes that
led to the formation of Solidarity, a nation-wide pro-democracy movement. After
the reformer Mikhail Gorbachev took power in the
By
the late 1980s, it became clear that the
The
people of
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