Before Communism
Before that Romania had been in the monarchy of King Michael I, during WWII. Ion Antonescu was the main leader through the World War, however. Then after the War had been won (six months early thanks to Romania), Antonescu was executed for forming an alliance with Nazi Germany trying to take control of Moldova, a former part of Romania, from Russia.
The Start of Communism
The communist reign started about 1945, when Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej took up the socialist government. Gheorghiu-Dej took up the charge and led the country into communism, being forcefully influenced by USSR. His reforms were violent but effective. He claimed land and businesses from anyone who had them. Many people were put in jail because they owned land and/or businesses, or simply because they spoke up.
The Start of Ceausescu's Time
Regarding the attitude towards Ceausescu, Gabriel says,
"At first, around the year 1968, the population's attitude towards Ceausescu was favorable, because he tried to make Romania to be more independent from the USSR. Then when it turned out that he wanted to use that independence for personal interest, the population became hostile. Of course people could not manifest visible or officially because if they should do so they were likely to have problems, to be persecuted or even to go to jail. In general the communist regime forced the people to have duplicitous characters and not trust too many other people."
"At first, around the year 1968, the population's attitude towards Ceausescu was favorable, because he tried to make Romania to be more independent from the USSR. Then when it turned out that he wanted to use that independence for personal interest, the population became hostile. Of course people could not manifest visible or officially because if they should do so they were likely to have problems, to be persecuted or even to go to jail. In general the communist regime forced the people to have duplicitous characters and not trust too many other people."