From what my parents told me, during the communist Bulgaria people have been quite happy with the "jobs assignment" process.<p>After graduation from college and if they are not going to continue their education they were given a list of available positions so they can pick few and they are placed according to their grades if there is a competition for a given position.<p>On the other hand, the less meritocratic positions(like blue collar jobs in factories) were often subject to placement-by-bribery. Many would like a position where they can steal stuff for themselves.<p>The seemingly meritocratic system gave them feeling of security but obviously the system was not working that well so the communist state collapsed and when it did, my parents lack of sense of the capitalist system left them in a limbo state. Those stealing, bribing folks did quite well in the communism-to-capitalism transformation period but many well educated people could not adopt and moved to well established capitalist economies where the meritocracy existed(at least they were finding jobs based on their credentials). However, at least my parents, never grasped the idea of entrepreneurship. They just don't have the basic instincts for doing a business and they failed miserably when they tried to start one. They are still working for other people.<p>If the North Korean government fails, probably the turmoil will last for generations, until new culture emerges through a new generation of young people who can have an idea about how a capitalist society works.<p>PS: We were from a discriminated minority, so maybe it was easier for the native Bulgarians however the North Korea seems to be much worse even than the last days of the communist Bulgaria.