We actually had all the resources to build horizontal commiehouses OR at least make the commieblocks pretty. Their ugly appearance is the outcome of ideology.
BUT
That doesn't change the fact that commieblocks were an achievement back then AND that they looked alrite when they were fresh and tidy, just like the rest of "horrible soviet architecture" (except for monstrous gigacommieblocks that can be spotted in Moscow, especially around Chertanovo station, they were a mistake from day one).