ABSTRACT
Under communism young people’s life-stage transitions were scripted by the system. It was possible for individuals to break out but far easier for them to comply. Most went to work (for life) in the industries, occupations and establishments for which their education had prepared them. There were no consumer markets as such. Self-organized free time could be spent at home, in streets or parks. Anything organized was under the auspices of the state and/or communist party. North American type ‘dating’ was never normalized let alone serial intimate relationships. Heterosexual intimacy developed as was normal in any parts of the Western world until the 1960s (see Leonard, 1980). Young people would normally experience just one serious relationship which, before long, all concerned including families, friends and the couple themselves assumed would lead to marriage. A young couple could wait to inherit the ownership or occupancy of a family dwelling. Or they could join a waiting list for a socially owned property. Either way, they would usually commence married life and parenthood while still residing in the home of one or another set of their parents or grandparents.
