Answer:
C. Their elected leaders refused to privatize businesses and institute free-market economies
Step-by-step explanation:
Many of the former Soviet states found it very difficult to govern themselves. The main reason for this was economic, as the leaders of some of the states didn't allowed privatization of the businesses and to change their economies to market-economies. Good examples of this are the five Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, as well as Azerbaijan and Belarus. All these countries had leaders that acted in a manner similar to that of the Soviet politicians, some reminding a lot of Stalin, or some rightfully bearing the nickname ''Tito'' (after the Yugoslavian leader). They acted like dictators, and in general still do, setting back their countries in their development.