This chapter examines whether there are any aspects of communism that are missed and how people feel about democracy. While almost everyone said they preferred democracy to communism, people felt more secure about things such as their job, housing, and basic necessities under communism. Many of these aspects were affected by the centrally planned system used by communists. This chapter will discuss the differences between a centrally planned system and a capitalist system and how attitudes and behaviors of both governments and individuals can be affected by them. Additionally, there were some components of democracy people did not like. Many said democracy and capitalism made people too individualistic and materialistic. Even with these perceived shortcomings, people still felt democracy was a better political system.
TopOranges At Christmas
When asked about the negatives of communism, there were a variety of answers, but several key themes. People wanted to travel; they wanted access to uncensored material, freedom to speak their minds, and the ability to buy a larger selection of goods. Quite a few people discussed the inability to get certain items. A Hungarian woman said that after the change, they could buy so many more things, such as oranges and bananas all year round. Multiple people in Hungary and the Czech Republic said oranges were only available at Christmastime. A Czech woman said even today oranges still make her think of Christmas.
They are also usually associated with St. Nicholas Day, a holiday celebrated on December 6th each year. How the holiday is celebrated varies slightly by country, but typically children awake in the morning to find fruit and treats left for them by St. Nicholas. In Hungary, children leave their boots out the night of December 5th to find them filled with candy, nuts, and oranges the next morning. To this day, it is still common for children to get oranges and chocolates, because, during communism, that was the only time those items were available.