Given the nature of the human being, there’s no way to live in a free society without someone being hosed. And even then, capitalism has improved the life conditions of those hosed. Communism removes the freedom for everyone and it is effectively hosing everyone at the same time.
It’s been very tightly intertwined with the position. When you retire, your wealth is gone, and sometimes retirement equals a purge. I wouldn’t call this being among the wealthy elite by any means. Today, you live in the center of Moscow, and tomorrow you’re an ‘enemy of the people’—good luck proving otherwise.
> and sometimes retirement equals a purge
That's just dictatorships man, you gotta keep playing the game well or you end up tortured to death in a salt mine.
That's not true, Soviet communism generated wealthy elites just like any other dictatorship, they just didn't have formal wealth.