Many years ago, when I was in school, I was sitting with a group of guys telling stories one evening. That year we had a fellow from the Soviet Union with us. Since the cold war was in full swing at the time, any "Russian" was a total novelty for us.
Our friend was sitting apart from the group doing his own work. After some considerable time had been passed "story-telling" he came over and joined the group. Looking very serious he hesitated momentarily, then said in a low voice,
"This is the most illegal joke I know."
He then told the following story:
Not long ago in the villages of eastern Russia there were no "mayors" of the towns. The leading official of the community was called the "Director." One day a very aged peasant woman came to the Director of her village and said:
"Comrade Director, if you have time I should like to discuss something with you."
"Certainly," he replied, "What problems do you have?"
"Well," she said, "I do indeed have many problems. "There are 10 of us living in our apartment. "My pension is only large enough to support me for a few days; we never have enough to eat and we cannot afford to heat the apartment more than a few days each month." "But I bear all this," she said, "because I know we all must sacrifice for the Motherland and the Party."
"But," said she, "I do have just one question, Comrade Director, that has bothered me for a long time: "Was communism invented by politicians or by scientists?"
"Why, by politicians, of course," he said.
"Ah, I knew it!" She exclaimed, "Because if it had been scientists, they would have tried it out on dogs first!"