Historically, communist states have provided universal education, healthcare, and housing through "centralized state control and abolition of private ownership". These services were considered fundamental rights, not commodities, and were provided to citizens by the government, which owned and managed the necessary infrastructure and resources.

Education

In communist countries, education was seen as a tool for creating a new, politically conscious society and a skilled workforce. The government established a free and compulsory education system for all children, from primary school through university. This involved:

• Mass literacy campaigns: Governments launched widespread efforts to eradicate illiteracy, especially in rural areas, to ensure the population could participate in the workforce and absorb state-sponsored information.

• State-controlled curriculum: The curriculum was designed to promote Marxist-Leninist ideology and to train students in technical and scientific fields to support industrialization and economic development.

• Centralized administration: The state owned all schools and educational institutions, employing teachers and providing resources uniformly across the country.

Healthcare

Universal healthcare was a core promise of communist systems, aiming to provide medical care to all citizens regardless of their economic status. This was achieved by:

• Socialized medicine: The state owned and operated all hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities, and employed all doctors and healthcare workers.

• Free services: Medical care, from routine check-ups to surgeries and prescriptions, was provided free of charge at the point of use.

• Emphasis on public health: The focus was on preventive care, including sanitation, vaccinations, and occupational health, to improve the overall health of the population and reduce the spread of disease.

Housing

To address homelessness and a lack of affordable housing, communist governments implemented large-scale public housing programs. The state owned all residential property and was responsible for its distribution.

• State-allocated housing: Housing was not bought or sold on a market; instead, the government assigned housing units to families based on need, family size, and job.

• Low-cost living: Rent was either free or heavily subsidized, typically constituting a very small percentage of a person's income.

• Rapid urban development: To meet the high demand for housing, governments embarked on ambitious construction projects, building vast "microrayons" (micro-districts) of identical, prefabricated apartment blocks. While these were functional, critics often noted their lack of aesthetic appeal and the uniformity that suppressed individuality.