>>507326739 (OP)It was unsustainable on the long run, here in Hungary the last decades of socialism was supported by IMF and other foreigner loans to upkeep the standards of living. Domestic industry was crap, especially in the 80s, basically workplaces were adult daycares.
Also, western propaganda penetrated into the minds of the plebs, everyone wanted to "consooom" and wanted an economy akin to what they see in Austria. Many sold their council apartments and compensation tickets for a television or a car or for some consumer goods ( which is utterly retarded). Nevertheless many people had higher standards of living in the commie system than they have in the 90s, unless they played well in the privatization game (few did). Oldfags are still nostalgic for the good old days because if you kept your head down and tagged along then the life was far easier than in the "capitalism"