Re: The problem with Eastern Europe is
It seems that you talked about EASTERN Europe.........Western Europe, which developed the common market, had (and still has) a large scope of parties, all democratic, from left to right; they all play the democratic rules, like having elections at regular intervals (and shorter when the government is contested by the parliament).
Since the fall of the Berlin wall, Eastern Europe also has held regular elections.
We certainly would rather have a communist government, with the choice to change it if it doesn't work, than have a fascist government that refuses elections.
Raoul