Communist nostalgia, also known as socialist nostalgia, is a political and cultural phenomenon in former socialist states where large portions of the population long for a return to socialism as they become disillusioned with the new capitalist system that replaced it.
Former Soviet republics
Armenia
71% of Armenians believe life was better in the Soviet Union,[1] and only 12% believe Armenia benefitted from the overthrow of the Soviet Union in 1991.[2]
Azerbaijan
69% of Azerbaijanis think life was better in the Soviet Union.[1]
Belarus
53% of Belarusians believe life was better in the Soviet Union.[1]
Georgia
57% of Georgians see Stalin positively compared to only 18% for Gorbachov.[3]
Kazakhstan
60% of Kazakhstani people believe life was better in the Soviet Union.[1] 82.4% believed that the Soviet Union responded to citizens' needs.[4]
Kyrgyzstan
61% of Kyrgyz people believe the dissolution of the USSR harmed Kyrgyzstan and only 16% say it helped.[2] 87% believed that the USSR responded to citizens' needs.[4]
Moldova
60% of Moldovans who lived in the Soviet Union say life was better then.[1] Only 26% say Moldova benefitted from the dissolution of the USSR.[2]
Russia
In the Russian Federation, 75% of people believe that the USSR was the best time period in Russian history.[5] In 2009, 58% of Russians said it was a "great misfortune" that the Soviet Union no longer exists.[6] In 2019, Stalin had a 70% approval rating in Russia.[7]
In 1999, 58% of Russians agreed that their country should have stayed how it was before 1985, and only 27% disagreed.[8] 64% of Russians believe that life was actually better under the USSR.[1] 55% of Russians believe that the overthrow of the Soviet Union caused more harm than good compared to 19% who support the change to capitalism.[2]
62% of Russians prefer a planned economy over a market economy and 49% prefer the Soviet political system, including 62% aged 55 and older.[9]
Tajikistan
52% of people in Tajikistan believe the dissolution of the USSR harmed their country, and only 27% believe it helped.[2]
Ukraine
62% of Ukrainians believe that life was better under socialism.[10] 56% of Ukrainians believe the breakup of the Soviet Union was bad for Ukraine and only 23% say it was good.[2]
Uzbekistan
In 2005, 70.2% of Uzbeks agreed that the Soviet government responded to citizens' needs.[4]
Eastern Bloc
Albania
55% of Albanians have a positive view of former leader Enver Hoxha.[11]
Bulgaria
62% of Bulgarians say life was better in the People's Republic of Bulgaria.[10]
Czechoslovakia
66% of people in Slovakia believe life was better under socialism and only 8% believe it was worse.[12]
Germany
In the Federal Republic of Germany, 57% people living in the territory that was once controlled by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) believe that life was better under socialist rule. 49% of former GDR residents believe that "The GDR had more good sides than bad sides. There were some problems, but life was good there."[13]
Hungary
In Hungary, an outstanding majority of people numbering at 72% believe that life was better in the Hungarian People's Republic.[10]
Romania
One 2014 survey found that 69% of Romanians believe life was better under socialism and 66% would vote for former leader Nicolae Ceaușescu if he was still alive.[14]
Other countries
Yugoslavia
81% of Serbians believe life was better under socialism.[15]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Will Stewart (2016-08-17). "Back in the USSR: 64 per cent of Russians say life was better in the Soviet Union than now" Express. Archived from the original on 2022-06-16. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Neli Esipova, Julie Ray (2013-12-19). "Former Soviet Countries See More Harm From Breakup" Gallup. Archived from the original on 2022-08-28. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ↑ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe" (2017-05-10). Pew Resarch Center. Archived from the original on 2023-10-07.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Kelly M. McMann (2005). Central Asians and the State: Nostalgia for the Soviet Era. [PDF] Case Western Reserve.
- ↑ 75% of Russians Say Soviet Era Was 'Greatest Time' in Country’s History – Poll
- ↑ "End of Communism Cheered But Now with More Reservations" (2009-11-02). Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on 2023-04-01.
- ↑ "Anticommunism Fails: 70% of Russians have a positive opinion on Joseph Stalin" (2019-04-17). In Defense of Communism. Archived from the original on 2021-06-29.
- ↑ Austin Murphy (2000). The Triumph of Evil: 'The Documented Facts about Eastern Europe and Communism' (p. 71). [PDF] Fucecchio: European Press Academic Publishing. ISBN 8883980026
- ↑ "What Do Russians Think Russia Should Be Like?" (2021-10-05). Levada. Archived from the original on 2022-05-21. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "People Worse off than Under Communism?" (2010-04-21). Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ↑ "Former dictator still seen in positive light by many Albanians, poll shows" (2016-12-09). Tirana Times. Archived from the original on 2022-08-27. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
- ↑ Robert A. Lindsay (2010-05-16). "Nostalgia For Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe" Beyond Highbrow. Archived from the original.
- ↑ Majority of Eastern Germans Feel Life Better under Communism
- ↑ "'Con el comunismo se vivía mejor': el 66% de los rumanos votaría al dictador Ceausescu" (2014-04-10). El Mundo. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ↑ "Serbia Poll: Life Was Better Under Tito" (2010-12-24). Balkan Insight. Archived from the original on 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2022-10-08.