I don't know what "it" is that you are referring to, but they did change their leaders once every ten years. You make it sound like they had to choose between

I don't know what "it" is that you are referring to, but they did change their leaders once every ten years. You make it sound like they had to choose between capitalism and democracy. In fact, they had neither. Former, they could implement by allowing things to happen. Latter, they could not get in any obvious way.