towards "communism" in the '30s--as were so many people with brains, who merely had to look around:
at what Robber Barons had precipitated upon everyone.
(Of course, in those early years it wasn't at all evident whether the excesses of the fledgling replacements for the Tsars were ... merely inept?)
or had become massive hypocrites [as here, in '30s Murica. Or now, in '11s Murica.]

So I see your point of the putative VS the actuality: after-all, few (anywhere) had sources of authentic information across the entire USSR, then
and they naturally mistrusted the purveyors of the same-old vulture-capitalist swill still offered as ... the Only alternative to godless-'isms'.

Now.. had Putin shed his leprous-spots and (say) aimed the ex-USSR in a 'socialist' direction similar to the Scandinavian countries? And also made authentic progress at creating a less WInner-take-All melange??
Why then.. the current troglodytes might indeed have Cause to Fear that the most disgusting aspects of their game: finally is in jeopardy of being found-out.

Now {ugghh} back to the standard disingenuous 'world' of the Greedheads everywhere.
Ahhh the seduction of Infinite Power: little wonder that people are mesmerized by replays of the "Iron Mike" detonation
(first real thermonuclear explosion: which was way beyond calc. yield because they forgot Something in those equations. Elugalap island was entirely vaporized.)
--> The one producing that eerie, "spotted" hemisphere of plasma which lingered for the longest time..
(I always read that startling film clip to mean): Are you SURE you want to Go--->HERE???

Little boys fancy that, They want one of Those, Too. That's what will kill us/the species; the details will be pedestrian, as always.