The Communist bloc of old was a study in the failure of failure. Losers in the Soviet economy were the people at the end of the long lines for consumer goods. Worse losers were the people who had spent hours getting to the head of the line, only to be told that the goods were unavailable.

In this quote, P. J. O'Rourke, a renowned American political satirist, critiques the inefficiencies and failures of the Soviet economy under the Communist bloc. He uses the metaphor of long lines for consumer goods to highlight how the system's inability to provide for its citizens led to a form of systemic failure. O'Rourke describes the experience of the losers in this economy, focusing on the frustration and futility of waiting in line for goods that were either unavailable or insufficiently provided.

The phrase "the failure of failure" refers to how the Soviet economic system perpetuated a cycle of disappointment, where not only were people deprived of essential goods, but they also had to endure the humiliation of wasted effort. The ultimate failure was not just the unavailability of products but the inefficiency and lack of foresight in managing basic consumer needs. This systemic breakdown created a pervasive sense of frustration and futility among the people.

O'Rourke points out the worse losers, those who had invested hours of their time to get to the front of the line, only to be told that the goods were unavailable. This represents the height of inefficiency, where individuals not only experienced failure in the form of unmet needs but also the deeper personal loss of time and effort. The irony is that the system failed them in both practical and emotional ways, making their experience a symbol of the broader failure of the Communist system.

Ultimately, O'Rourke’s quote serves as a critique of the Soviet Union's economic and political failures, using the imagery of lines and scarcity to demonstrate how inefficiency and bureaucracy led to a deeply unsatisfying existence for its citizens. The "failure of failure" encapsulates how the system not only failed to provide basic goods but also wasted people's time and energy, creating a cycle of frustration that defined the economic collapse of the Communist bloc.