While the gain in per-capita GDP has been high, this grossly understates the magnitude of the economic progress. Why? Because, due to the low quality and severe shortages of goods, Communism exhibited massive CPI bias. Since true prices under Communism were much higher than official prices, initial poverty was far more severe than standard statistics would have you believe. Poland, Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia are all economic miracles, veritable Wirtschaftswunder, and we should all give thanks.