Abstract
This chapter analyzes various aspects of the workforce, both under communism and afterward. It looks at the limitations some people had under communism in terms of choosing their preferred occupations and advancing in their careers, and how those opportunities were impacted by their parents and party loyalty. The chapter also examines how private property was taken by the government during communism, and how privatization worked in the Czech Republic and Hungary after the regime change. Finally, it is thought that the stronger the economy, the more satisfied citizens will be with democracy. To see whether this is the case, the current economies of the Czech Republic and Hungary are examined along with people's feelings about them.