[coreblocks]

Perhaps that has something to do with having lost millions during WW1, revolution and WW2. Eastern Europe and China were hit the hardest during WW2 and didn't have the massive US economy (which was unharmed in both WW1 and WW2) to help the rebuild (marshal plan). The young people who died during WW2 would otherwise have contributed to the economy during the 50s, 60s and 70s. In fact, you can still see the damage of WW2 in the Russian demographics today.

Of course it didn't help that the soviet politicians constantly mismanaged the economy at the same time. Also interestingly, Mao was constantly screwing up the economy with his uneducated policies that he was hugely unpopular internally with the CCP. However Mao was hugely popular with the common people that the CCP had to just put up with and put out the fires he starts. (reminds me of Trump today...)