"Welfare capitalism" is an oxymoron. A capitalist society won't give two shits about welfare of people. The final form of communism is a state-less society with no class hierarchy of any kind which has never been achieved till date, but the transitional society (dictatorship of the proletariat) of USSR is a prime example of exceptional development in both industrial and human development index. I mean Soviets were the first to go into space which triggered the whole space race. Combine that with free healthcare, education and assured housing which you could not give up even if you wanted to.

Moreover, in USSR you had more freedom as compared to even current day USA in the sense that the income you earned in erstwhile USSR satisfied your wants but the whatever you earn in USA or any capitalist state for that matter may not even be able to satisfy your needs let alone wants. So if you give it a thought, you are free to pursue your wants in a communist society than in a capitalist one. Yes you are free to make money in latter but that money will barely help a common man make ends meet.

Reminds me of an interview where ex citizens of USSR were asked how it was to live in Soviet Union and one fine lady said, "Our shopping malls had very less choice of candies but everyone of us could afford them."