The USSR just replaced some inequalities with others. For instance there were lots of status-based perks, currencies and even exclusive stores. See for instance

The USSR just replaced some inequalities with others. For instance there were lots of status-based perks, currencies and even exclusive stores. See for instance https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blat_(favors) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blat_(favors) and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryozka_(Russian_retail_store) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryozka_(Russian_retail_sto.... The meme about Soviet equality is pretty misleading. Their particular brand of autocracy increased inequality if anything, just expressed in different ways.