the average soviet citizen's life was not so rosy.
idk, man. Judging from propagandists pamphlets, that was exactly the case. In the experience of my family: parents, grandparents, and other extended family, who lived through entire span of soviet era in remote and central locations, - the opposite was true. Free higher education, medicine. Government-paid leave twice a year. Things like youth clubs for modelling, photography, astronomy in every city. Free access to libraries. Prospects to get an elite job if you bust your ass. My dad came from a remote village to become aviation engineer without having any elite connections. There were other stories, ofc. Much like in US, Britain or Egypt, there are janitors and construction workers, who’s life, as you say, is not so rosy. And I would argue that soviet janitors’ life was a whole lot rosier than his British colleague’s, given multiple safety nets, also, importantly, prospects for his kids education and well being the central government guaranteed.
So yeah, I guess it depends who you mean, when you say average. If you mean higher order of musicians, politicians and factory managers - then indeed, their life was a lot less rosy when compared to luxuriousness of their western counterparts.
