The authors claim that the main reason for the return of post-communist parties is that they could sell themselves as social-democratic parties. Accordingly, their failure to fulfill the related promises will be the main cause for their fall. In order to understand the dynamic of East European politics, class analysis must be revived.

Two books have been published on the history of the Hungarian Free Democrats i.e. the former "democratic opposition". The author compares these books and also reviews a critique of the same books by Miklós Szabó.  (Ervin Czizmadia: A magyar demokratikus ellenzék. I-III. [The democratic opposition in Hungary], T-Twins Kiadó 1995., Ripp Zoltán: Szabad demokraták [Free Democrats]. Napvilág Kiadó 1995.

The first phase of the so-called systemic change namely the general disintegration seems to come to its end and new integrations of the coming era are emerging.  The relationship to NATO is a fundamental question not only security but also on political and economical grounds and not to mention the physical presence of the North Atlantic Organisation in Hungary. At the same time campaigns have been launched to have a referendum on the question of joining it. Membership in the military organisation is required to maintain security and stability argue NATO supporters.  This issue of Eszmélet also addresses questions of racism, nationalism and market reforms that can really be considered as factors threatening our security and stability.

Human Rights Watch: Right Denied: The Roma of Hungary. New York, 1996.

 

The perils of the Hungarian roma population has been well known. A recent study by the American Human Rights Watch organisation presented a shocking summary of the suffering of the roma in Hungary.