You are certainly correct about the Russians, Germans, North Koreans, or any other people for t5hat matter, loving their country in spite of oppressive governments. However, a lot depends on what system you are accustomed to living under.

In Russia all they had to compare was a corrupt monarchy, agonizing poverty, and almost no middle class. Hitler brought Germany out of the global depression and the most devastating economic period in their history and in spite of all, they had a fairly healthy middle class by the standards of that period. Communism in Korea is probably far better that the feudal system that it replaced.

As long as you can keep bellies relatively full and ruthlessly suppress the rabble rousers that create unrest (new ideas) you can probably maintain any form of government indefinitely. Freedom as we know it does not seem to be a factor. Only when the system breaks down to the point that basic needs are not met, does the USSR fall.

The question is not what people will endure but what will they give up after they have had a taste. Any person that has lived under our system is unwilling to return to a significantly poorer more oppressive system unless they are driven by religious motives.

It is not uncommon for Arabs to leave this land of plenty in disgust but they are not leaving for love of country they are leaving for love of Allah.