Common Myths About Socialism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
Myth 1: There was no democracy in the socialist states of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and the governments in those states had little popular
support.
Fact:
This is a common myth disseminated by the western media. However, the history of socialism points to something quite different than the media's contention. Popular revolutions brought the communist party to power in the Soviet Union, Albania, and Yugoslavia. After World War II elections were held in the other eastern European states and the communist parties were elected overwhelmingly either alone or as part of a radical socialist coalition. Regular elections were held in all the socialist states that allowed people to vote whether or not they wanted a particular candidate in office.
Myth 2: Socialism was an impediment to individual productivity resulting in economic stagnation in economic states.
Fact:
Socialism was quite productive in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. To illustrate this point, we will look at the average annual rates of growth for select socialist states from 1951-1955 and again from 1981-1985.
From 1951-1955 the average annual rates of growth were as follows: Bulgaria-12.2%, German Democratic Republic-13.1%, Romania-14.1%, and the Soviet Union-11.4%
These rates of growth were not confined to the post-war reconstruction of Europe. Even in the early 1980's, after the implementation of unnecessary market reforms and in the midst of a global recession, the socialist states still experienced solid annual rates of growth. From 1981-1985 the average annual rates of growth were as follows: Bulgaria-3.7%, German Democratic Republic-4.5%, Romania-4.4%, and the Soviet Union-3.2%
Myth 3: The Communist Party and government in the socialist states were unconcerned with the citizen's needs and did not provide for their welfare.
Fact:
Of all the myths surrounding the history of socialism, nothing could be further from the truth. No state has ever done more to provide for their citizen's welfare. The socialist governments had constitutional provisions that guaranteed their citizens things like affordable housing, adequate food, universal healthcare and education at no cost to the individual, and guaranteed employment.
Whether it was the German Democratic Republic's quality system of free day-care for the children of working parents or the Soviet Union's comprehensive healthcare system that provided for factory clinics, industrial hygeine programs, neighborhood polyclinics, and local hospitals at no cost to the individual, no states have ever done more to meet the needs of their citizens than the socialist states.
©Copyrighted 2003. Anti-Revisionist Project
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