To mark 20 years since the beginning of political changes in Poland, BBC News asked its online readers: “Do you live in a former Soviet bloc country? What have 20 years of capitalism done for you? Do you think that your country has benefited from the end of communism?”
Within hours, the forum was swamped with thousands of comments; for the time strapped, here's a more or less representative sample after about an hour's browsing.
While most respondents were happy with the transition from state Socialism to a more pluralist, democratic political system…
Hello yes, I live in Czech republic. For me, I saw no future in 1988 so it was a nice surprise to see any – although a difficult one. Unfortunatelly we have picked up wrong type of capitalism with very little democracy. Our country has benefited vastly, although the losses are also not negligable. The overall balance is still positive – just think of another 20 years of rotting communism – what might have happened. But only the next few years will say if we are better now than we were before WW2
-Tomas Hyjanek, Roztoky Czech R
There is one crucial difference: freedom. I can read, write or say whatever I want, travel with no restrictions through the whole world, study abroad. If I will fight my corrupt government with civil disobedience (what I sometimes did), I will be not be imprisoned for years, but charged with minor fine. Whole society is far more tolerable and open. Yes, there are trade-offs: higher selfishness and consume, gap between poor and rich people and corporate rule. But I would never want back.
Jan Rovensky, Prague
…many were equally disappointed with the realities of economic capitalism and political corruption.
I’m no communist, but, fact, economy is worse than 1989.
>Some felt that a great chance for a ‘new way’ was squandered when free market capitalism steam-rollered more moderate voices and ideas.
As a Hungarian, I say yes, materially the country is better off. But multinationals own every segment of the economy. Environmental problems are horrendous.No independent path of development. Econo–slavery: a banana republic. No level playing field. A great culture is being replaced by junk. Capitalism arrived in Hungary at the moment of its moral bankruptcy worldwide. A great opportunity was lost for the world to find a balance between extreme capitalism and the obvious need for socialism.
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In the economic perspective the differences between communism and capitalism are these:
In communism we had money but the shops were empty
In capitalism we don't have money but the shops are full with products…So both are the same only few, the elites, take the economic benefit.
The problem is that people usually but mistakenly confound politics and economics. It is definitely good thing that we have the relative freedom and even more relative (post-)democracy, but I hate the rude, bestial capitalist ideology, which has been wrecking all public services, turning society into market and changing everything meaningful in a commodity. Such a pity that “The Third Way” of socialism with a human face has been laid to waste.
Lukas Zadrapa, J. Hradec, Czech Republic
Many were cynical about the transition, questioning whether democracy had really been achieved at all.
Unfortunately ‘capitalism’ never came to Hungary. The country is run by oligarchs, much like Russia. The media, financial institutions, police are almost exclusively directed by former members of the communist party.
In the fall of 2006, a recording was revealed of Prime Minister Gyurcsany saying that he lied to get reelected. Protests went on for over a month, until police savagely attacked 200,000 demonstrators and declared Parliament a militarized zone. Hungary is still waiting for democracy
-Andrew, Budapest
We fully face worse of capitalism: social insecurity, economic depressions, crime expansion, but little can we benefit from its advantages. 55% of our GDP is still realized by the state , and vast majority of state contracts are corrupt. We are drowned in taxes, but little we benefit from public service. A lot of high officials – politicians, as well as legal officers – have communist past. Certain people need not follow certain law and must not be touched. Ppl are not oppressed but ignored.
-Jan, Brno, CZ
Added: Saturday, 7 February, 2009, 21:45 GMT 21:45 UK
I cannot actually see that; what I can see is a line from the rock group The Who “meet the new boss, he's same as the old boss”. Just a different form of a type of enslavement but it is enslavement never the less and freedom is mostly illusionary that hits a wall the moment you actually THINK you have freedom and attempt to exercise your rights. It's just not going to happen. Yes you are free to have no gas in the winter, you are free not to eat, you are free to be exploited by everybody.
Nandor Dombovary, Budapest, HU
Some felt that economic prosperity was paid for by sacrificing community and equality:
Economically, yes, the transformation to capitalism has helped – the question is whether it will last for long. On the other side, the corruption has increased, as well as organized crime, robbery, prostitution and drug use. But the worst thing about capitalism I see is the increasing egoism between people – there is no more solidarity left, people see only money and personal welfare as their prime target. Rather sad, really.
-Lachim Dapic, Brno
In communism family were truly everything what matters. Not anymore. Then “material wealth” got improved very much. Now I feel like two days happy when I buy new laptop or tv. But then I must continue in struggle to keep job, in struggle with my colleagues in order not to get fired, but they get. Watch out for that someone won't stab me into my back for higher salary. But hey, after all of this I buy new iphone, and I feel happy for two days again.
-Radek, Prague
There was also a striking difference between the Eastern European and former USSR posters. Most of the former posters saw as an integral part of Communism the Soviet occupation of their countries, and even those sympathetic to some aspects of the old life expressed an overwhelming preference for independence.
Not very good, but much better than communism
-Kaczmarczyk
Responding to: “I’d suggest that the western regimes are getting as repressive now as he eastern ones were during communism.”
Paul Goddard, LondonHave you seen any tanks cruising down Oxford street lately? Have the secret police kicked your neighbours door in and dragged him off with no explanation? Is the media silenced? Is your phone tapped? Do you have a vote?
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. None. Zip. Nada. Nic. Nil. Your comment is embarassingly stupid.
Pawel Jagiello, London and Warsawa
The latter, however, tended to have a much bleaker view of the present, and greater nostalgia for the past.
Before I took off towards the capitalist world, I worked in the tourist business in the communist one. Many friends from the capitalist word all said the same thing "you don´t have the material goods we do enjoy But you have something else we lost long ago you have warmness, hospitality, laughter, friendliness, happiness – you are humane and is why come back to your country again and again."
Fear though now all this begins to fade too
Everything has its own price!
-Rasputin
In general, Eastern Europeans welcomed the idea of democracy and political freedom, but have a very realistic view of the hight costs of the transition, the sacrifices involved, the deficiencies of capitalism and their present political systems, and the spectre of Soviet occupation. Only taking all those things into account can anyone really make an educated conjecture of ‘was it all worth it’.
For a great vox-pop introduction to the difficult questions and trade-offs of post-Communism, this messageboard is required reading.
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