Having the 50th anniversary of the 1956 uprising, this issue of Eszmélet focuses on interpreting its events. The selection of articles was influenced by the fact that almost all aspects of official commemorations failed to mention the anti-capitalist, socialist and self-governing colour of the events. Books published, conferences and events organised for the anniversary – to serve the legitimation of the present system – emphasized the role of bourgeois, openly anti-socialist forces and classified them as "revolutionary". Because of this, our articles probably present a more differentiated picture both in political and theoretical sense. The one dimensional presentation of the "sorrowful October events" whether we call it revolution, counter-revolution or (popular) uprising does not led to proper theory and methodology. Eszmélet has the mission to show the colours not presented or distorted by others. On the one hand, the official classification in the Kádár regime was a "fascist counter-revolution" exaggerating the events on Köztársaság square, on the other hand, recently only bourgeois democratic elements are emphasized or even the current lead by Mindszenty is put in the front as it were part of the democratic movements. Eszmélet wants to present parts of the whole and the whole in parts.

Further articles address different issues ranging from social policy through the ideology of the (extreme) right political forces in the Baltic states, the 1981 Polish crisis to the Hungarist devotedness of the " rediscovered" Transylvanian writer count Albert Wass.