marxism

I'm definitely influenced by Western propaganda here, as I'm mostly familiar with the gerontocracy jokes from the end of his tenure. But a quick refresher from Wikipedia reminds me that there are good reasons to remember his time fondly:

Although difficulties in the Soviet economy became apparent as early as the late 1960s, the population’s living conditions continued to improve. The majority of the population earned what it considered an acceptable wage and lived in decent apartments. The state provided education, medical care, housing, and paid leave free of charge. Most families also had free access to daycare and after-school activities. Full employment, generous and free disability insurance, and the lowering of the retirement age with full benefits (55 for women and 60 for men) all contributed to an improvement in living standards.