Former President Gorbachev could accept capitalism,; but the Russian people would not!

I was in Russia in 1989.  I thought President Gorbachev, the last President of the Soviet Union, tried to offer the Russian people an honest appraisal of democracy and its institutions for consideration to be adopted in Russia.  He pointed out that the Russian constitution has some features present in the US constitution, for example.

But in my discussions with Russians on the streets and in stores, restaurants in Moscow, I found that when they confirmed with me that capitalism has several monetary disasters in its history, e.g., the stock market crash of 1929, in which citizens might encounter their own personal, financial calamity--some financiers, suddenly becoming insolvent, reportedly jumped off buildings in acts of suicide--they wanted to learn nothing more about the system!  They told me, they preferred communism.

Since 1929, in the West there have been many changes to mitigate the harsh effects in the cyclic ups and downs of the stock market in the world, put in place largely through governmental programs, e.g., in the US, the social security administration for the retired; and the unemployment insurance program for those who have lost their jobs.  

Gorbachev was President of the old, USSR, but under the newly constructed national government (to replace it), the Russian Federation emerged.  And the matter of peace between East and West (without a Wall) has lasted for some 35 years--until President Putin invaded Ukraine, and NATO became a reminder of the two separate philosophies within Europe!