The old people were given money and were given proper care. The government during communism was quite different from the present system. In communism, there was little or no money spent on the beautification. Cities were 'gray' then, and now they are colorful. Many religious groups like Jews lived in Czechoslovakia, they were tortured in the concentration camps. Those who followed The Catholic Church were considered as a nuisance. There were not many beggars on the streets because almost everyone was given some job or the other. People had to work in the military for at least two years. Those who were willing to work and did not protest against the government had no problems and were quite satisfied.
Foreigners were checked for any foreign literature or other foreign articles. Under communism, the government owned almost everything and the people did not have to pay huge taxes and rents. Now all the property is private and people have to pay a lot of money as rents. It is claimed that the standard of living and the economic situation were not significant reasons behind the rebellion in Czechoslovakia.
As the years continued on, Czechoslovak citizens began to grow tired of Communism and its repressing force. On January 1,1977 more than 250 human rights activists signed a manifesto called Charter 77. This was a manifesto that criticized the government for failing to implement human right provisions of a document it had signed. Such human rights provisions as states own constitutions, and international covenants on political, economic, civil, and cultural rights. This manifesto showed the beginning of the desire of the citizens of Czechoslovakia to have their human rights respected by the government. .
The inevitable social change began with a peaceful demonstration of Czechoslovak students on November 17,1989 on the 50th anniversary of when the students went to the streets to protest the Nazi's and were killed.
And it is precisely on this old, apparently never healing wound that US Ambassador Michael Guest and the chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Obie Moore have placed their finger upon. ...