The Advantages of Communism in Eastern Europe

Essay by XordaxHigh School, 10th gradeA, May 2006

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The collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe had significant negative effects on crime rates, poverty levels, and civil rights issues, all of which had been kept at bay during the Communist party's rule over Easter Europe. Just as the Berlin Wall crumbled to the ground so did the hopes and dreams of the newly freed citizens of post communist Europe. Crime rates, poverty levels and civil rights violations took a turn for the worst.

Shortly after the fall of communism, crime in the east rose greatly, some police couldn't do anything to stop it, others wouldn't do anything to stop it; gangsters were helped by corruption and inexperience among the police force and adapted very well to the free market economy (A1). Even some government party leaders joined forces with the criminals to promote commercial interests, weapons sold by Russian generals were distributed to anyone even terrorists and gangsters (D2).

Thefts became common; "People stole produce and tools from their work places to trade with others who had stolen from their employers. The new government made little attempt to restrict such practices. The streets were full of beggars." (D1). The crisis even started affecting other countries when "The illegal export of Russian diamonds threatened to ruin the world market." (D3).

Along with high crime rates Eastern Europe was also stricken with poverty. "Unemployment has suddenly skyrocketed in East Germany shocking the newly democratic nation with a debilitating social problem neither its leaders nor its people have experienced with." (B1). In the old soviet bloc a job loss average of about 10% was achieved when some 25million lost their jobs. (A5). A good example of how brutal the transformation has been is Mr. Vrtic. "Vrtic, who has two sons, has scraped by with odd jobs, most recently as one of the...