I agree for the early ussr. Later starting from khruschev and especially brezhnev i think the leadership got weak and larded. If not for them it never had to fall. Also i dont cede any such ground. Better then capitalists? They were the firsr sucessful leftist revolutionaries. I totally respect them, and was many times amazed by their history. I think its uniquely priviledged position to criticize the liberator for his missteps.

my personal favorite is Einsteins quote about his view of lenin: "I honor Lenin as a man who completely sacrificed himself and devoted all his energy to the realization of social justice. I do not consider his methods practical, but one thing is certain: men of his type are the guardians and restorers of the conscience of humanity."