Technically all those Eastern European countries were destroyed by the totalitarian Soviet Union and their version of communism not socialism - for some reason it seems very hard for Americans to grasp the difference just like many in Europe find it difficult to grasp the difference between Democrats and Republicans ... except that the latter would never have brought in Obamacare. Germany have had many successful years under Social Democrats, the Swedes didn't do badly under socialism and neither did the UK except for a failure to control the unions in the 1970s which led to Thatcher destroying most of the industry of the UK and well over 4 million unemployed. Americans might like her but outside the South of England she was hated. Also France has not done badly. They have traditionally been a lot of communists in Italy and France but fortunately they ahve never been able to gain power
Of course (and I thought it did in America as well as you can have liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats) liberalism is not any related to socialism. There's absolutely nothing liberal about the old Soviet Empire nor Russia today.
Sadly however I have to report that the Labour Party in England has been hijacked by a bunch of Marxists thanks to a stupid electoral system. Fortunately I do not think Labour stand a chance while led by this bunch of sheep. It wasn't Socialism that caused the collapse in 2008 but banks, especially those in the US. Greece's problems are caused by Germany relaxing the rules allowing southern European countries to join the Euro partly because no-one fears their own nationalism like Germany. IMO once the scale of Greece's problems became apparent they should just have been kicked out. The argument was there would be a domino effect in Southern Europe but I don't think there was any chance of Italy being kicked out. Germany keeps Greece, who now put previously didn't have a socialist (bordering on communist) government who make bold statements to their voters but the reality is they have to agree with whatever Germany tells them.
I would classify myself as a liberal which in Europe means believing in freedom for people to live as they want without having other people's moral views imposed on them. Liberal with a big L means a belief in a mixed economy without the dogma from right or left and this philosophy attracts a lot of liberals.
Sorry this isn't terribly relevant to the US but I thought this was a worldwide thread.