I pretty much agree with what you have said. Czechoslovakia had a softer version of communism than the USSR.

My grandfather visited Slovakia three times from 1966 to 1976. The first two times, there was a car with an agent or two parked outside the relatives' house where he was staying--24 hours a day. The third time, the government decided not to bother.

Yes, communists had to follow a pre-ordained version of how the world should be run. And publicly deviating from that version usually meant a loss of status within the party.

Having said, I was in a Canadian political party for six years. There were things we just could not talk about in our internal meetings.

It is plausible that USA (or parts thereof) may became a one-party state soon. It won't be fun. Many Americans will keep their heads down, while the government rounds up the more serious agitators. But within a decade, there will be another revolution.

Or it is also plausible that USA bumbles along for another 20 years. That is also not an ideal outcome for it only leads to another possible coup, which could come from the left.