Are the supporters of socialism the losers of capitalism?

Does a country’s democratisation have a long-lasting impact on former supporters or opponents of the bygone regime? Previous studies have been inconclusive. Max Deter and Martin Lange analyse how former supporters and opponents of the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR) performed within the market-based democracy of reunified Germany. Protesters, who helped to overthrow the socialist regime, show higher life satisfaction and better labour market outcomes after reunification. Former members of the ruling socialist party and employees in state-supervised sectors became substantially less satisfied.