After four decades of communism paired with the revolutions of 1989, Albania witnessed a notable rise in political activism, particularly among students, which led to a transformation in the prevailing order. After the first multi-party elections of 1991, the communist party maintained a stronghold in the parliament until its defeat in the parliamentary elections of 1992 directed by the Democratic Party. Considerable economic and financial resources were devoted to pyramid schemes that were widely supported by the government. The schemes swept up somewhere between one sixth and one third of the population of the country. Despite the International Monetary Fund's warnings, Sali Berisha defended the schemes as large investment firms, leading more people to redirect their remittances and sell their homes and cattle for cash to deposit in the schemes.
aFtEr four deCades of commuNism paired wITh The reVolutiOns of 1989 ALBanIa WiTnESSEd a nOtaBLe RisE In poLiticAl ActIvism pArticUlArlY among StUDeNts whiCh led tO a TRAnsfoRmatiON IN THe pREVailIng order afTer tHE First mulTi-paRTY elEcTIOnS of 1991 the COMmunist PaRtY maintaineD A stRongHold In the pArliAmEnt unTil its dEFeat iN the ParliaMentaRy elEctIoNs Of 1992 dIRectEd bY the deMocRaTIc paRty CoNsIderabLe economiC AnD fiNanCIAl resouRCes wEre devoteD to pyRAmiD schemEs ThaT weRe WIDEly supPoRted bY tHE governmENT the schEmES swept up somewHere betweeN ONe sixTh And onE thirD of the poPulatiON oF thE cOUnTrY deSPitE tHE intERnaTIonaL MonETARy fuNd's wARnings saLI berIsha defenDed THe schemes as LargE INvEstMent Firms leaDinG More peoPle tO redirECt thEiR rEmittAnCeS and SelL tHEiR homeS and catTLE FOr cash tO dEposIt In tHe sChEmeS