TODOR ZHIVKOV

Since the end of WWII till the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Bulgarians were part of the Soviet Bloc and operated under communism that was supposedly based on Marxism. However it was not in many critical respects. But few modern Russian style Communists are familiar with or understand Marxism.

When Bulgaria transformed from a Communist nation to a free market, competitive economy, most of the Bulgarian businessmen assumed that the competition was to get a favored position with the government and have the government then interfere with their competitors or some other government organized advantage for them as opposed to better products, better prices, better marketing. Ironically, there are still a few areas where the modern American system is much like Bulgaria was. Local telephone and electric monopolies are two of the worst.

Since the end of WWII till the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Bulgarians were part of the Soviet Bloc and operated under communism that was supposedly based on Marxism. However it was not in many critical respects. But few modern Russian style Communists are familiar with or understand Marxism.

When Bulgaria transformed from a Communist nation to a free market, competitive economy, most of the Bulgarian businessmen assumed that the competition was to get a favored position with the government and have the government then interfere with their competitors or some other government organized advantage for them as opposed to better products, better prices, better marketing. Ironically, there are still a few areas where the modern American system is much like Bulgaria was. Local telephone and electric monopolies are two of the worst.