We're getting further from the subject, but who cares.

I keep explaining to boomer members of my family that things were not good during the communists. It just seems bad now because of the news and social media. They are better off than 90% of the people in their country, but they don't perceive it.

Anyway, I think people who have been "civilized" for a long time would also take a long time to turn uncivilized. Which might mean never, since they would also do their best (as a tribe) to get out of poverty quickly.