How would it have worked the other way around? If the Eastern bloc had thrived and subsumed the West?

I doubt it would have gone any better, at least from a Westerner's perspective.

Change is always fraught. And I'm not defending capitalism. It exploits self-interest, and in doing so rewards selfishness. But I am defending rule of the people. And capitalism and it's variants is, for better or worse, the economic system of choice for the people. That will change (in the long run). But we're stuck for now.

Take care. Thanks for the perspective!