The results were close to 50/50. It's quite better than that.
And according to you it's because only dumb people are left? Seriously? Asking someone if their lives were better now or 20 years ago is about the simplest question you can manage. Even the dumbest person you can find has the ability to remember if their life was in danger every single day. If it was all as bad as you say, you'd think it would be more like 90/10 or worse.
8% of people in Hungary think life is better now than under Communism. 12% in Ukraine, 13% in Bulgaria, 23% in Lithuania - you know, you have a really weird definition of 50/50.
Few things. First, 22 years, after 70 years of oppressive rule that killed off anyone who was considered smart/intelligent, brainwashed the populace with propaganda, and killed anyone who dared to even attempt anything that resembled capitalism, isn't all that much. Second, everyone with any brains got the hell out of there as soon as they could (MASSIVE brain-drain in the late 80's and 90's), meaning most of those left are ones who were dumb enough not to know better, and preferred the socialist/communist system. Three, there are LOTS of people still living there, and outside of there, who remember the communist system quite well. 20 years means someone who is 30 still remembers it. And last, "presumptuous? LOL! I'm actually one of those "brain drains" and left in '89. So, no, I'm not "presuming," I remember what it was like, heard many stories from my grandparents and parents, and keep in touch with family members and friends who are still there. No presuming here.
That's pretty cold of you to call your own family and friends "dumb enough not to know better". And the situation wasn't the same in every country, so you can hardly speak to all of them. Not to mention the fact that when a totalitarian Communist country commits abuses, we blame it on Communism, yet when an oppressive government in a more market-based system commits the same sorts of abuses, capitalism never seems to get any of the blame. Hell, we supported coups that put monsters like Pinochet in power just to get rid of inoffensive leaders who happened to lean a bit too far left for America's tastes.
You claim that in an unregulated free market, advertising will go through the roof. I'm pointing out that there is already a lot of advertising out there, but really not that much for products we do use, and you don't have to buy from overpriced companies who spend too much on advertising, since it's extremely easy to price shop.
There's really not that much advertising for the products we do use? Seriously? Then why does it exist at all? Also, I don't really trust your judgement on which of the products you use have commericials, since half-a-billion-dollar ad campaigns seem to slip by without you noticing them at all.
edit: P.S. your avatar is creepy as hell, are you a furry?