People became disillusioned with communism for a variety of reasons. One major factor was the failure of communist regimes to deliver on their promises of equality, prosperity, and social justice. Instead, many communist countries experienced economic stagnation, political repression, and human rights abuses. Additionally, the lack of political freedoms and the inability of citizens to express their opinions or participate in government decision-making processes led to widespread dissatisfaction.
Discontent was expressed in various forms, including protests, strikes, and civil disobedience. These actions were often met with violent repression from the government, which only fueled further discontent and resistance. The solidarity movement in Poland, for example, used nonviolent protests, strikes, and civil disobedience to challenge the legitimacy of the communist government and demand greater political and economic freedom.
These actions contributed to the fall of communism by exposing the weaknesses and contradictions of the communist system, which proved incapable of addressing the legitimate grievances of its citizens. In some cases, the resistance movements were able to force communist governments to negotiate reforms or to hold free elections. In other cases, popular uprisings led to the overthrow of communist regimes, as in the case of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia.
If people had not taken action, or if politicians had tried to reform rather than dismantle their communist governments, it is possible that the fall of communism would have been delayed or prevented altogether. However, it is also likely that popular discontent would have continued to simmer and eventually boil over, as occurred in many communist countries. Ultimately, the failure of communism as a system to deliver on its promises of social and economic progress made its demise inevitable.